[ARTIN  HAMMOND 


WITH  SEVENTY-ONE  II.Ll  ;  'ONS 


OLD    GATEWAY     4- 


LOR.IDA    U.S.A.j  *f  [ 


LPHIA  &  LONDON 


i-l 

15 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC 

FORTS  OF 
NORTH  AMERICA 


BY 


JOHN  MARTIN  HAMMOND 

AUTHOR  OF 
"  COLONIAL  MANSIONS  OF  MARYLAND  AND  DELAWARE  " 


WITH  SEVENTY-ONE  ILLUSTRATIONS 


J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 

PHILADELPHIA  &  LONDON 

1915 


COPYRIGHT,  1915,  BY  J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 


PUBLISHED  NOVEMBER,  1915 


PRINTED  BY  J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 

AT  THE  WASHINGTON  SQUARE  PRESS 

PHILADELPHIA,  U.  S.  A. 


PREFACE 


N  account  of  the  most  famous  forti 
fications  of  North  America  is,  in 
reality,  a  cross  section  of  the  mili 
tary  history  of  the  continent;  and 
whatever  ingenuity  there  may  be 
in  this  method  of  presenting  the 
conspicuous  deeds  of  valor  of  the 
American  people  will,  it  may  be  hoped,  add  interest  to 
the  following  pages. 

So  many  races  of  men  have  wrestled  for  the  North 
American  continent  in,  historically  speaking,  so  brief  a 
space  of  time!  We  behold  the  Indian  in  possession 
though  we  do  not  know  who  was  his  predecessor  in  hold 
ing  the  land,  though  the  mounds  of  the  Middle  West, 
notably  Illinois  and  Arkansas,  point  to  a  race  of  a  higher 
culture  and  more  developed  knowledge  of  building  than 
the  red  men  had.  There  come  the  Spanish  with  their 
relentless  persecutions  of  the  natives.  There  come  the 
English,  French,  Dutch,  Swedish.  And  the  claims  of 
each  clash,  to  at  length  give  way — despite  the  military 
acumen  of  the  French — to  the  steady,  home-building 
genius  of  the  English. 

Of  the  strongholds  which  the  Spanish  built  to  main 
tain  their  title  to  this  part  of  the  world  there  remain  such 
substantial  relics  as  the  old  fort  at  St.  Augustine,  annu 
ally  visited  by  thousands  of  people,  and  that  at  Pensa- 
cola,  Florida.  The  French  are  best  remembered  by  their 


436394 


PREFACE 


works  at  Quebec.  Of  the  defensive  works  of  the  Dutch, 
on  the  Hudson,  or  the  Swedes,  on  the  Delaware,  noth 
ing  remains.  The  English  were  not  great  builders  of 
forts ;  they  were  essentially  tillers  of  the  soil.  The  most 
important  English  military  work  of  early  Colonial  days 
in  America  was  Castle  William  (Fort  Independence), 
Boston  harbor. 

To  the  French  with  their  restless  explorers  and  in 
defatigable  missionaries  to  the  Indians  must  be  ascribed 
the  credit  of  most  completely  grasping  the  physical  con 
ditions  of  the  North  American  continent  and  of  formu 
lating  the  most  comprehensive  scheme  for  military  de 
fense  of  their  holdings.  The  French  forts  extended  in  a 
well-organized  line  from  the  mouth  of  the  Saint  Law 
rence  west  and  south  through  the  Great  Lakes  and  down 
the  Mississippi  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  They  origi 
nated  and  executed,  all  things  considered,  the  most  dar 
ing  and  comprehensive  military  project  ever  conceived 
on  the  continent  of  North  America. 

In  the  preparation  of  this  work  it  has  given  me  great 
pleasure  and  has  clarified  to  a  marked  degree  my  con 
ceptions  of  the  larger  movements  of  American  history, — 
especially  in  regard  to  the  topographical  considerations 
governing  these  movements, — to  have  visited  the  seats 
of  early  empire  in  this  country  and  the  various  centres 
of  military  renown  in  its  later  days.  All  of  the  places 
described  in  this  book  are  worth  a  visit  by  the  sight 
seer  as  well  as  the  historian — that  is,  they  contain  visi- 

vi 


PREFACE 


ble  monuments  of  the  Past.  I  have,  myself,  taken  the 
greater  number  of  photographs  which  illustrate  the  vol 
ume.  Others  have  been  donated  or  purchased,  as  the 
credit  lines  will  tell. 

It  is,  perhaps,  as  well  to  state  that  this  work  has 
been  done  with  the  knowledge  of  the  War  Department 
of  the  United  States,  which  has  very  kindly  allowed  me 
to  reproduce  some  of  the  pictures  in  its  archives  and  has 
greatly  helped  me  with  my  researches  in  its  public 
records.  When  I  have  visited  those  few  points  of  his 
toric  significance  still  occupied  by  the  army  I  have  been 
very  courteously  shown  all  points  of  interest  not  of  pres 
ent  military  value  and  have  been  allowed  to  photograph 
scenes  which  I  desired  to  record  which  would  have  no 
worth  to  an  enemy  of  the  country. 

In  carrying  forward  my  work  I  have  freely  consulted 
historical  authorities,  among  which  I  would  like  especially 
to  acknowledge  indebtedness  to  the  writings  of  Francis 
Parkman,  who  in  his  many  volumes  has  made  the  days  of 
Old  France  in  the  New  World  a  living  reality;  to  John 
Fiske, "  New  France  and  New  England ; "  to  Reuben  G. 
Thwaites,  "  France  in  America;  "  to  various  publications 
of  the  Michigan  Pioneer  and  Historical  Society;  to 
Agnes  C.  Laut,  "  Canada;"  to  William  Henry  Withrow, 
"  Canada;  "  to  Randall  Parrish,  "  Historic  Illinois;  "  to 
the  Hon.  Peter  A.  Porter,  "  Brief  History  of  Old  Fort 
Niagara;"  to  Benson  John  Lossing,  "Pictorial  Field 
Book  of  the  Revolution;"  to  E.  G.  Bourne,  "  Spain  in 

vii 


PREFACE 


America;"  to  Charles  B.  Reynolds,  "Old  St.  Augus 
tine;"  to  Loyall  Farragut,  "  David  Glasgow  Farragut;" 
and  to  various  books  of  travel  and  reminiscence,  among 
which  I  would  like  to  mention:  S.  A.  Drake,  "  Nooks  and 
Corners  of  the  New  England  Coast "  and  "  The  Pine 
Tree  Coast;"  George  Champlin  Mason,  "  Reminiscences 
of  Newport;"  Irene  A.  Wright,  "Cuba;"  A.  Hyatt 
Verrill,  "Cuba;"  Helen  Throop  Purdy,  "San  Fran 
cisco;"  Ernest  Peixotto,  "  Romantic  California;"  Ade 
laide  Wilson,  "  Savannah,  Picturesque  and  Beautiful;" 
Mrs.  St.  Julien  Ravenel,  "  Charleston,  the  Place  and 
the  People;"  and  I  have  received  valuable  help  in  ma 
terial  and  suggestions  from  various  State  historical 
societies,  which  have  been  uniformly  courteous  and  de 
sirous  to  be  of  service. 

I  wish  to  express  gratitude  to  various  friends  and 
individuals  who  have  helped  me  with  suggestions  or 
photographs,  among  whom  I  may  mention  Messrs. 
Henry  P.  Baily,  Lloyd  Norris,  William  H.  Castle, 
Edward  P.  Crummer,  Maurice  T.  Fleisher,  James 
Prescott  Martin,  Edward  H.  Smith,  and  Harold 
Donaldson  Eberlein. 

September,  1915.  J.  M.  H. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

STRONGHOLDS  OF  THE  PAST 1 

FORT  INDEPENDENCE  (CASTLE  WILLIAM),  CASTLE  ISLAND, 

BOSTON  HARBOR 25 

FORT  COLUMBUS,  OR  JAY,  GOVERNOR'S  ISLAND,  NEW  YORK 

HARBOR 36 

TlCONDEROGA,  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN,  NEW  YORK 49 

CROWN  POINT,  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN,  NEW  YORK 66 

THE  HEIGHTS  OF  QUEBEC  (THE  CITADEL,  CASTLE  ST.  Louis), 

CANADA 72 

FORT  ANNAPOLIS  ROYAL,  ANNAPOLIS,  ANNAPOLIS  BASIN, 

NOVA  SCOTIA 84 

THE  CITADEL  AT  HALIFAX,  NOVA  SCOTIA 93 

FORT  GEORGE,  CASTINE,  MAINE 98 

FORT  FREDERICK,  PEMAQUID,  MAINE 105 

FORT  NIAGARA,  AT  MOUTH  OF  NIAGARA  RIVER,  NEW  YORK.  113 
FORT  ONTARIO,  OSWEGO,  NEW  YORK 122 

FORT     MlCHILLIMACKINAC     AND     FORT     HOLMES,     MACKINAC 

ISLAND,  MICHIGAN 131 

FORT  MASSAC,  ON  THE  OHIO,  NEAR  METROPOLIS,  ILLINOIS.  .  141 
WEST  POINT,  ITS  ENVIRONS,  AND  STONY  POINT,  NEW  YORK.  147 
FORT  CONSTITUTION  (FORT  WILLIAM  AND  MARY),  GREAT 

ISLAND,  NEAR  PORTSMOUTH,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE 161 

FORTS  TRUMBULL  AND  GRISWOLD,  NEW  LONDON  AND  GROTON, 

ON  THE  THAMES,  CONNECTICUT 167 

FORT  MlFFLIN,  ON  THE  DELAWARE,  PHILADELPHIA 173 

FORT  MCHENRY,  BALTIMORE 180 

FORT  MARION,  ST.  AUGUSTINE,  FLORIDA 190 

LA  FUERZA,  MORRO  CASTLE,  AND  OTHER  DEFENCES,  HAVANA, 

CUBA 201 

ix 


CONTENTS 


FORT  SAN  CARLOS  DE  BARRANCAS,  PENSACOLA  BAY,  FLORIDA  207 
THE  PRESIDIO  OF  SAN  FRANCISCO,  GOLDEN  GATE,  CALIFORNIA  215 
FORT  ADAMS  AND  NEWPORT'S  DEFENSIVE  RUINS,  NEWPORT, 

RHODE  ISLAND 222 

FORT  MONROE,  OLD  POINT  COMFORT,  VIRGINIA 232 

FORTS  SUMTER  AND  MOULTRIE,  NEAR  CHARLESTON,  SOUTH 

CAROLINA 241 

FORT  PULASKI,  AT  MOUTH  OF  SAVANNAH  RIVER,  GEORGIA  ....  251 

FORT  MORGAN,  MOBILE  BAY,  ALABAMA 257 

FORTS  JACKSON  AND  ST.  PHILIP,  AT  MOUTH  OF  THE  MIS 
SISSIPPI,  LOUISIANA 263 

FORT  SNELLING,  NEAR  ST.  PAUL,  MINNESOTA 268 

FORT    LARAMIE,   AT   THE  FORKS   OF  THE   PLATTE   RIVER, 

WYOMING 273 

THE  ALAMO  AND  FORT  SAM  HOUSTON,  SAN  ANTONIO,  TEXAS  .  279 
OTHER  WESTERN  FORTS:  FORT  PHIL  KEARNEY,  NEBRASKA; 
FORT  LEAVENWORTH,  KANSAS;  FORT  FETTERMAN,  WYO 
MING;   FORT  BRIDGER,  WYOMING;   FORT  KEOGH,  MONTANA; 
FORT  DOUGLAS,  UTAH 285 

FORT  VANCOUVER,  ON  THE  COLUMBIA  RIVER,  WASHINGTON  . .  290 

FORT  YUMA,  AT  HEAD  OF  NAVIGATION,  COLORADO  RIVER, 

CALIFORNIA 295 

VALLEY  FORGE — YORKTOWN — VICKSBURG — LOOKOUT  MOUN 
TAIN — GETTYSBURG — THE  "CRATER" 299 

INDEX .  305 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


The  Ancient  Watch-tower  of  Fort  Marion,  St.  Augustine, 
Florida Frontispiece 

(By  courtesy  of  the  St.  Augustine  Historical  Society) 

Mighty  Louisburg  To-day,  Cape  Breton,  Nova  Scotia: 

To  Sea  from  the  Ruined  Walls 2 

All  That  Remains  Standing 2 

Water-front  of  Present-day  Detroit 16 

Where  Indian  Canoes  and  the  Palisades  of  the  French 
WTere. 

Old  Block-house,  Fort  Pitt,  Pittsburgh,  Pa 18 

(From  a  Painting  in  the  Collection  of  the  Pennsylvania  Historical  Society) 

Fort  Independence  from  the  Water,  Boston,  Mass 26 

Floating  Hospital  in  Foreground 

Fort  Independence,  Castle  Island,  Boston,  Mass.: 

Fort  Winthrop  from  Castle  Island 30 

Main  Entrance,  Fort  Independence 30 

Harbor  Side,  Fort  Independence,  Boston,  Mass 34 

Entrance  to  Fort  Columbus  (Fort  Jay),  Governor's  Island, 

New  York  Harbor 36 

Fort  Sites  in  Present-day  New  York  City: 

Fort  Washington  Point.    Fort  Lee  on  Opposite  Shore. .  38 

Where  Was  Fort  Amsterdam;  the  Customs  House 38 

Fort  Lafayette,  from  Fort  Hamilton,  New  York 45 

Fort  Ticonderoga,  Lake  Champlain,  New  York 51 

Interior  Views  of  Fort  Ticonderoga,  N.  Y. : 

The  Mess  Hall 62 

A  Council  Room 62 

Crown  Point,  N.  Y.,  in  Dead  of  Winter: 

Where  the  Flag  Flew 66 

The  Ruined  Barracks 66 

The  Heights  of  Quebec 72 

(By  courtesy  of  Detroit  Publishing  Company) 

Guns,  Parade  and  Ancient  Officers'  Quarters,  Fort  Annapolis 

Royal,  N.  S 84 

(By  courtesy  of  The  Boston  Times) 
xi 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


View  from  Citadel  Hill,  Halifax,  N.  S 94 

Old  Martello  Tower,  near  Halifax,  N.  S 96 

Fort  Niagara,  on  Niagara  River,  N.  Y 114 

The  South  View  of  Oswego  on  Lake  Ontario 122 

(From  William  Smith's  View  of  the  Province  of  New  York,  London  Edition,  1757) 

Fort  Michillimackinac  and  State  Park,   Mackinac  Island, 

Michigan 137 

Old  Block-house  and  Mission  Point,  Fort  Michillimackinac 

Reservation,  Mackinac  Island,  Michigan 139 

Fort  Massac,  on  the  Ohio  (La  Belle  Riviere) : 

Memorial   Monument,   Erected  by   Illinois   Daughters 

American  Revolution 142 

From  the  River 142 

Entrance  to  Fort  Putnam,  West  Point,  N.  Y.,  in  Winter. . .    148 
Showing   Tower  of  New  Academy  Chapel  in  Middle 
Distance 

Sketch  Snap-shots  of  West  Point's  Historic  Memorials : 

Fort  Putnam's  Rocky  Interior 152 

Kosciuszko  Monument 152 

The  North  Wall,  "Old  Put" 152 

Fort  Constitution  (Castle  William  and  Mary),  Great  Island, 

near  Portsmouth,  N.  H 162 

A  Distant  View  of  Fort  Constitution 165 

Historic  Points  on  the  Thames  River,  Conn. : 

Fort  Griswold,  Groton 168 

Fort  Trumbull,  New  London 168 

Entrance  to  Fort  Mifflin,  Philadelphia 174 

The  Moat  in  Winter,  Fort  Mifflin,  Philadelphia 178 

Fort  McHenry,  Baltimore,  Md. : 

A  View  from  an  Aeroplane 180 

The  Guard-house 180 

Fort  McHenry,  Baltimore,  Md. : 

Looking  Toward  the  Lazaretto 182 

One  of  the  Old  Batteries  in  Place 182 

Fort  McHenry,  Baltimore,  Md. : 

From  This  Point  the  Star  Spangled  Banner  Flew 187 

The  Entrance 187 

xii 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Col.  George  Armistead 188 

In  Command  of  Fort  McHenry  During  the  Siege 

Moat  and  Entrance,  Fort  Marion,  St.  Augustine,  Fla 190 

(By  courtesy  of  the  St.  Augustine  Historical  Society) 

Incline  Leading  to  Ramparts,  Fort  Marion,  St.  Augustine, 

Fla 196 

(By  courtesy  of  the  St.  Augustine  Historical  Society) 

Morro  Castle,  Havana,  Cuba 203 

Fort  San  Carlos  de  Barrancas,  near  Pensacola,  Florida 209 

(By  courtesy  of  the  Pensacola  Chamber  of  Commerce) 

Fort  Scott  and  the  Golden  Gate,  Presidio  Reservation,  San 

Francisco,  Cal 216 

(By  courtesy  of  R.  J.  Waters  &  Co.) 

Lime  Rock  Light-house,  Newport  Harbor,  Looking  Toward 

Fort  Adams 222 

Glimpses  of  Newport's  Historic  Defences : 

Parade,  Old  Fort  Adams 225 

Present-day  Aspect  of  Fort  Greene 225 

Panorama  of  Newport  Harbor,  R.  I.,  Showing  Fort  Adams  at 

Left  Middle  Distance 230 

Goat  Island  in  Central  Distance. 
Fort  Dumplings,  Conanicut   Island,  a  Revolutionary  Relic 

Near  Newport 231 

From  the  Ramparts  of  Fort  Monroe,  Looking  Toward  Hamp 
ton  Roads 232 

Taken  During  the  Jamestown  Celebration  by  the  United 
States  War  Department  and  Reproduced  by  Special 
Permission. 
Garden  View  of  One  of  Monroe's  Ante-bellum  Residences . .   234 

Fire!!! 236 

Showing  Shells  Just  Leaving  Mortars,  Fort  Monroe,  Va. 
This  Remarkable  Photograph  Was  Taken  with 
Modern  High  Speed  Apparatus  by  the  Corps  of  En 
listed  Specialists  Stationed  at  This  Post. 

(By  courtesy  of  the  War  Department) 

Casemates  of  Fort  Monroe,  as  They  Were  During  the  Civil 

War 239 

Fort  Sumter,  a  Pile  of  Stone  on  a  Sandy  Shoal 242 

xiii 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


The  Deserted  Casemates  of  Fort  Pulaski,  near  Savannah,  Ga.   253 
Scenes  of  Desolation  at  Fort  Pulaski,  near  Savannah,  Ga. : 

Parade  and  Ramparts 256 

The  Battered  Eastern  Salient 256 

Old  Stone  Tower  at  Fort  Snelling,  near  St.  Paul,  Minn 268 

Ruins  of  the  Alamo  in  1845 280 

From  a  Sketch  Upon  Map  of  the  Country  in  the  Vicinity 
of  San  Antonio  de  Bexar  Made  by  J.  Edmund  Blake, 
1st  Lieutenant  Topographical  Engineers,  U.  S.  A. 

(By  courtesy  of  the  War  Department) 

Fort  Keogh,  near  Miles  City,  Montana 289 

Fort  Yuma,  California 296 

(By  courtesy  of  the  War  Department) 

Scenes  at  Valley  Forge,  Pa. : 

National  Memorial  Arch 300 

Washington's  Headquarters 300 

Two  Views  To-day  of  the  "  Crater,"  Petersburg,  Va.: 

The  Slaughter  Hollow 302 

The  Entrance  to  the  Tunnel. .  .  302 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 
OF  NORTH  AMERICA 


STRONGHOLDS  OF  THE  PAST 


HE  tourist  on  the  coast  of  Cape 
Breton  Island,  Nova  Scotia — 
for  in  summer  hundreds  of  peo 
ple  seek  out  this  pleasant  land 
for  its  cheerful  climate — may 
come  upon  a  little  bay  on  the 
easternmost  verge  of  the  land 
where  is  a  deep  land-locked  inlet  protected  from  ele 
mental  fury  by  a  long  rocky  arm  thrust  out  from  the 
shore  into  the  sea.  He  will  not  be  able  to  surmise  from 
the  present  aspect  of  his  surroundings  that  this  was  the 
site  of  mighty  Louisburg,  the  greatest  artificial  strong 
hold  (Quebec  being  largely  a  work  of  nature)  that  the 
French  ever  had  in  the  New  World.  Of  this  massive 
and  menacing  fortress,  which  cost  thirty  million  livres 
and  twenty-five  years  of  toil  to  build  after  the  designs 
of  the  great  Vauban,  hardly  one  stone  lies  placed  upon 
another  and  grass  and  rubble  have  taken  the  place  of  the 
heavy  walls.  Standing  on  the  ground  where  New 
France's  greatest  leaders  stood  it  is  difficult  to-day  to 
picture  the  martial  pomp  which  once  must  have  claimed 
this  spot,  to  visualize,  more  particularly,  the  setting  for 
the  farcical  onslaught  of  the  zealous  New  Englanders 
of  1744,  under  the  doughty  Pepperell,  in  their  greatest 
single  military  exploit. 

The  Treaty  of  Utrecht,  which  provided  a  basis  of 
agreement  for  France  and  England  in  the  New  World 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


for  almost  half  a  century,  did  not  establish  boundaries 
between  the  two  countries  and  the  contest  to  determine 
the  question  was  unceasing,  though  not  officially  recog 
nized.  France  busied  herself  in  building  fortifications 
and  was  ready  frequently  to  formally  draw  the  sword; 
yet  it  needed  the  outbreak  of  the  War  of  The  Austrian 
Succession  in  1744,  in  far  distant  Europe,  to  precipi 
tate  the  American  quarrel. 

The  news  of  the  beginning  of  this  conflict  came  to 
Duquesnel,  commandant  of  Louisburg,  before  it  reached 
the  English  colonies,  however,  and  it  seemed  to  him  an 
essentially  proper  thing  to  do  to  strike  against  the 
English.  He  accordingly  sent  out  an  expedition  against 
the  English  fishing  village  of  Canseau,  at  the  southern 
end  of  the  Strait  of  Canseau,  which  separates  Cape 
Breton  Island  from  the  peninsula  of  Acadia.  With  a 
wooden  redoubt  defended  by  eighty  Englishmen  antici 
pating  no  danger,  Canseau  offered  no  great  resistance 
and  was  easily  taken,  its  inhabitants  sent  to  Boston,  and 
its  houses  burned  to  the  ground.  The  next  blow  was  an 
unsuccessful  expedition  against  Annapolis  Royal.  By 
these  two  valueless  strokes  Duquesnel  warned  New  Eng 
land  that  New  France  was  on  the  aggressive. 

Enraged  by  the  attacks  upon  Canseau  and  Annap 
olis  and  with  the  easy  self-confidence  which  is  a  heritage 
of  the  children  of  the  hardy  north  Atlantic  coast,  the 
people  of  Massachusetts  were  prepared  for  the  sugges 
tion  of  William  Vaughan,  of  Damariscotta,  that  with 


To  sea  from  the  ruined  walls 


All  that  remains  standing 
MIGHTY  LOUISBURG  TO-DAY  .CAPE  BRETON,  NOVA  SCOTIA 


STRONGHOLDS  OF  THE  PAST 


their  untrained  militia  they  should  attack  New  France's 
mightiest  stronghold.  Vaughan  found  a  willing  listener 
in  the  governor,  William  Shirley,  who  helped  the  enter 
prise  on  its  way. 

The  originator  of  this  astounding  project  was  born 
at  Portsmouth,  in  1703,  and  was  a  graduate  of  Harvard 
College  nineteen  years  thereafter.  His  father  had  been 
lieutenant-governor  of  New  Hampshire.  Soon  after 
leaving  college  Vaughan  had  betrayed  an  adventurous 
disposition  by  establishing  a  fishing- station  on  the  island 
of  Matinicus  off  the  coast  of  Maine.  Afterward  he 
became  the  owner  of  most  of  the  land  on  the  little  river 
Damariscotta  where  he  built  a  little  wooden  fort,  estab 
lished  a  considerable  settlement  and  built  up  an  exten 
sive  trade  in  fish  and  timber.  Governor  Shirley  was  an 
English  barrister  who  had  come  to  Massachusetts  in  1731 
to  practise  his  profession  and  who  had  been  raised  by 
his  own  native  gifts  to  the  position  of  highest  eminence 
in  the  colony. 

On  the  9th  of  January,  1745,  the  General  Court  of 
Massachusetts  received  a  message  from  the  governor 
that  he  had  a  communication  to  make  to  them  so  critical 
that  he  must  swear  all  of  the  members  to  secrecy.  Then 
to  their  astonishment  he  proposed  that  they  undertake 
the  reduction  of  Louisburg.  They  listened  with  respect 
to  the  governor's  suggestion  and  appointed  a  committee 
of  two  to  consider  the  matter.  The  committee's  report, 

3 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


made  in  the  course  of  several  days,  was  unfavorable  and 
so  was  the  vote  of  the  court. 

Meanwhile  intelligence  of  Governor  Shirley's  pro 
posal  had  leaked  out  despite  the  pledge  of  secrecy.  It 
is  said  that  a  country  member  of  the  court  more  pious 
than  discreet  was  overheard  praying  long  and  fervently 
for  Divine  guidance  in  the  matter.  The  news  flew 
through  the  province  and  public  pressure  compelled  a 
reconsideration  of  the  project.  It  was  urged  against 
the  plan  that  raw  militia  were  no  match  for  disciplined 
troops  behind  ramparts,  that  the  expense  would  be 
staggering  and  that  the  credit  of  the  colony  was  already 
overstrained.  The  matter  was  put  to  a  vote  and  car 
ried  by  a  single  vote.  This  result  is  said  to  have  been 
due  to  one  of  the  opposition  falling  and  breaking  his 
leg  while  hurrying  to  the  council. 

The  die  was  now  cast  and  hesitation  vanished. 
Shirley  wrote  to  all  of  the  colonies  as  far  south  as  Penn 
sylvania,  but  of  these  only  four  responded :  Connecticut, 
Rhode  Island,  New  Hampshire  and  Massachusetts, 
which  blazed  with  holy  zeal  as,  since  the  enterprise 
would  be  directed  against  Roman  Catholics,  it  was  sup 
posed  that  heaven  would  in  a  peculiar  manner  favor  it. 
There  were  prayers  in  churches  and  families.  New 
Hampshire  provided  500  men,  of  which  number  Massa 
chusetts  was  to  pay  and  provide  for  150;  Rhode  Island 
voted  a  sloop  carrying  fourteen  cannon  and  twelve 
swivels;  Connecticut  promised  516  men  and  officers  pro- 

4 


STRONGHOLDS  OF  THE  PAST 


vided  that  Roger  Wolcott  should  have  second  rank  in 
the  expedition;  and  Massachusetts  was  to  provide  3000 
men  and  the  commanding  officer. 

This  last  condition  was  one  of  the  hardest  to  fulfil, 
for,  as  Governor  Wanton  of  Rhode  Island  wrote,  there 
was  not  in  New  England  "  one  officer  of  experience  nor 
even  an  engineer."  The  choice  fell  upon  William 
Pepperell,  of  Kittery,  Maine  (then  a  part  of  Massa 
chusetts),  who  though  a  prosperous  trader  had  had  little 
experience  to  fit  him  for  commanding  an  attack  upon 
a  great  fortress.  Pepperell's  home  is  still  standing  at 
Kittery  and  is  a  substantial  structure  as  befitted  its 
affluent  master. 

There  was  staying  at  Pepperell's  house  at  this  time 
the  preacher  Whitefield.  Pepperell  asked  his  guest 
for  a  motto  for  the  expedition.  "Nil  Desperandum 
Christo  Duce  "  was  suggested ;  and  this  being  adopted 
gave  to  the  expedition  the  air  of  a  crusade. 

A  novel  plan  was  suggested,  among  others,  to  Pep 
perell  by  one  of  the  zealots  of  New  England.  Two 
trustworthy  men,  according  to  this  plan,  were  to  be  sent 
out  at  night  before  the  French  ramparts,  one  of  them 
carrying  a  wooden  mallet  with  which  he  was  to  beat 
upon  the  ground.  The  other  was  to  place  his  ear  to  the 
ground  and  wherever  a  concealed  mine  would  give  back 
a  hollow  sound  was  to  make  a  cross  mark  with  chalk  so 
that  the  New  England  boys  would  know  where  not  to 
walk  when  they  attacked  the  fort.  The  French  sentry 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


meanwhile,  it  was  supposed,  would  be  too  confused  by 
the  unusual  noise  of  the  thumping  to  take  any  action. 

Within  seven  weeks  after  Shirley  issued  his  procla 
mation  preparations  for  the  expedition  were  complete. 
The  force,  all  told,  numbered  about  four  thousand  men. 
Transports  were  easily  obtained  in  the  harbor  of  Boston 
or  in  the  towns  adjoining.  There  was  a  lack  of  cannon 
of  large  calibre,  but  it  was  known  that  the  French  pos 
sessed  cannon  of  large  calibre,  so  cannon  balls  and  sup 
plies  to  fit  such  guns  were  carried  along,  it  being  foreseen 
that  the  army  would  capture  sufficient  of  the  French  can 
non  to  supply  its  needs.  Of  other  supplies  there  was  a 
sufficiency  and,  to  overbalance  the  lack  of  any  military 
training  whatever  in  the  officers,  Governor  Shirley  had 
written  a  long  list  of  instructions  for  the  siege.  These 
instructions,  after  going  into  such  minute  directions  as 
how  to  make  fast  the  windows  of  the  Governor's  apart 
ment  at  Louisburg,  and  outlining  a  complex  series  of 
military  manoeuvres  to  be  undertaken  after  dark  by  men 
who  had  no  idea  of  the  country  they  would  be  in,  ended 
with  the  words,  "  Notwithstanding  the  instructions  you 
have  received  from  me  I  must  leave  you  to  act,  upon 
unforeseen  emergencies,  according  to  your  best  discre 
tion." 

On  Friday,  April  5,  1745,  the  first  of  the  transports 
arrived  at  Canseau,  the  rendezvous,  about  sixty  miles 
from  Louisburg,  and  this  little  post  which  had  now  a 
small  French  garrison  changed  hands  again.  Captain 


STRONGHOLDS  OF  THE  PAST 


Ammi  Cutter  was  put  in  command  with  sixty-eight  men. 
On  Sunday  there  was  a  great  open-air  concourse  at  which 
Parson  Moody  preached  on  the  text  "  Thy  people  shall 
be  willing  in  the  day  of  Thy  power."  Parson  Moody's 
sermon  was  disturbed  by  the  drilling  of  an  awkward 
squad  whose  men  were  learning  how  to  handle  a  musket. 

For  three  weeks  the  expedition  lay  at  Canseau  wait 
ing  for  the  ice  to  clear  from  the  northern  waters,  and 
then,  on  the  morning  of  the  29th,  it  set  out  expecting  to 
make  Louisburg  by  nine  o'clock  that  evening  and  to 
take  the  French  by  surprise  as  Shirley  had  directed. 
The  French,  of  course,  had  been  aware  all  the  time  of 
the  location  of  the  enemy  and  had  even  had  intelligence 
from  Boston  when  the  affair  was  first  bruited  about.  A 
lull  in  the  wind  caused  a  change  in  the  plan  of  taking 
the  French  by  surprise  and  it  was  not  until  the  keen 
light  of  the  following  morning  that  the  New  Englanders 
saw  Louisburg,  no  very  great  sight  at  that,  as  the  build 
ings  of  the  town  were  almost  completely  hid  behind  the 
massive  walls  which  encircled  them. 

And  now  how  were  matters  going  on  inside  the 
mighty  walls?  Badly,  it  must  be  admitted.  The  garrison 
consisted  of  five  hundred  and  sixty  regulars,  of  whom 
several  companies  were  Swiss,  and  of  about  fourteen  hun 
dred  militia.  The  regulars  were  in  bad  condition  and 
had,  indeed,  the  preceding  Christmas,  broken  into  mu 
tiny  because  of  exasperation  with  bad  rations  and  with 
having  been  given  no  extra  pay  for  work  on  the  f ortifica- 

7 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


tions.  Some  of  the  officers  had  lost  all  confidence  in  their 
men  and  the  commandant,  Chevalier  Duchambon,  suc 
cessor  to  Duquesnel,  was  a  man  of  hesitant  and  capri 
cious  mind.  It  is  thus  to  be  seen  that  the  fortress  was 
fatally  weak  within  though  in  material  circumstances  it 
was  the  strongest  on  the  North  American  continent. 

The  landing  of  the  provincial  forces  was  accom 
plished  creditably  about  three  miles  below  the  fortifica 
tions.  Vaughan  then  led  about  four  hundred  men  to  the 
town  and  saluted  it  with  three  cheers,  much  to  the  dis 
comfiture  of  the  garrison,  which  was  entirely  unused  to 
this  kind  of  warfare.  He  then  marched  unresisted  to  the 
northeast  arm  of  the  harbor  where  there  were  magazines 
of  naval  stores.  These  his  men  set  on  fire  and  he  the 
next  day  set  about  returning  to  the  main  force. 

The  strongest  outlying  work  of  Louisburg  was  the 
Grand  Battery  more  than  a  mile  from  the  town.  As 
Vaughan  came  near  this  work  he  observed  therein  no 
signs  of  life.  One  of  Vaughan's  party  was  a  Cape  Cod 
Indian.  This  red  man  was  bribed  by  a  flask  of  brandy 
which  Vaughan  had  in  his  pocket  to  undertake  a  recon- 
noissance,  which  he  carried  through  in  a  unique  fashion. 
Pretending  to  be  drunk,  and  waving  his  flask  around  his 
head,  the  Indian  staggered  toward  the  battery.  There 
was  still  no  life.  The  Indian  entered  through  an  em 
brasure  and  found  the  place  empty.  Vaughan  took 
possession  and  an  eighteen-year-old  drummer  boy 
climbed  the  flagstaff  and  fastened  thereon  a  red  shirt  as  a 


STRONGHOLDS  OF  THE  PAST 


substitute  for  the  British  ensign.  Thus  also  did  the 
Massachusetts  men  acquire  the  cannon  for  which  they 
had  been  hoping. 

It  is  difficult  to  understand  how  it  was  that  the 
Grand  Battery  was  deserted.  "  A  detachment  of  the 
enemy  advanced  to  the  neighborhood  of  the  Royal  Bat 
tery,"  writes  the  Habitant  de  Louisburg  in  his  invalu 
able  narrative  retailed  by  Parkman.  "  At  once  we  were 
all  seized  with  fright  and  on  the  instant  it  was  proposed 
to  abandon  this  magnificent  battery  which  would  have 
been  our  best  defence,  if  one  had  known  how  to  use  it. 
Various  councils  were  held  in  a  tumultuous  way.  It 
would  be  hard  to  tell  the  reasons  for  such  a  strange  pro 
ceeding.  Not  one  shot  had  been  fired  at  the  battery, 
which  the  enemy  could  not  take  except  by  making  regu 
lar  approaches  as  if  against  the  town  itself,  and  by  be 
sieging  it,  so  to  speak,  in  form.  Some  persons  remon 
strated,  but  in  vain;  and  so  a  battery  which  had  cost  the 
King  immense  sums  was  abandoned  before  it  was  at 
tacked." 

The  battery  contained  twenty-eight  forty-two 
pounder  cannon  and  two  eighteen-pounders.  Several 
of  these  guns  were  opened  upon  the  town  the  next  morn 
ing,  "  which,"  wrote  a  soldier  of  New  England  in  his 
diary,  "  damaged  the  houses  and  made  the  women  cry." 

In  this  good-natured  fashion  did  the  whole  siege 
progress.  It  is  hardly  possible  to  write  about  the  in 
formal  procedure  in  an  orderly  fashion.  Accomplishing 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


incredible  tasks  in  fashions  opposed  to  all  of  the  laws  of 
warfare  the  New  Englanders  went  on  with  only  rudi 
mentary  observance  of  discipline  under  their  merchant 
commander.  While  the  cannon  boomed  in  front  the 
men  behind  the  lines  wrestled,  and  ran  races,  and  fired 
at  targets,  though  ammunition  was  short,  and  chased 
French  cannon  balls  for  exercise,  bringing  back  the  can 
non  balls  to  be  used  in  the  guns.  Some  of  the  men  went 
fishing  about  two  miles  away.  Now  and  then  some  of  the 
fishermen  lost  their  scalps  to  Indians  who  prowled  about 
the  camps  of  the  besiegers. 

At  last  the  impossible  happened.  Discouraged  by 
humiliating  failures  and  badly,  though  not  fatally,  bat 
tered,  mighty  Louisburg  surrendered.  The  strongest 
work  of  man  in  the  New  World  had  fallen  to  ignorant 
New  England  fishermen!  The  soldiers  of  France  re 
ceived  the  ridicule  of  the  whole  Old  World  and  an  effort 
was  made  from  Versailles  to  recover  the  point  lost,  but 
unsuccessfully. 

Louisburg  was  restored  to  the  French  Crown  in  1748 
by  the  treaty  of  Aix-la-Chapelle.  It  was  to  fall  again 
to  English  arms  in  the  Seven  Years  War,  which  ended 
with  the  complete  extinction  of  French  power  in  the 
New  World;  but  with  the  account  of  this  siege,  which 
was  conducted  painfully  and  formally  in  accord  with  the 
rules  of  war,  we  need  have  no  concern.  The  great 
fortress  was  then  destroyed  block  by  block  and  Time  has 
continued  the  work  of  demolition  which  the  English 
began. 

10 


STRONGHOLDS  OF  THE  PAST 


While  Louisburg  and  Quebec  were  great  eastern 
strongholds  of  the  French  in  America,  their  centre  of 
power  in  the  far  west  was  Fort  Chartres  on  the  Missis 
sippi  River,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Kaskaskia  River,  Illi 
nois.  Here  they  held  gay  sway  over  a  wilderness  empire 
that  included  many  Indian  tribes  and  extended  over 
thousands  of  miles. 

The  first  Fort  Chartres  was  commenced  in  1718  when 
Lieutenant  Pierre  Dugue  de  Boisbriant,  a  Canadian 
holding  a  French  commission,  accompanied  by  several 
officers  and  a  large  body  of  troops,  arrived  at  Kaskaskia 
by  boat  from  New  Orleans.  A  site  was  selected  about 
eighteen  miles  north  of  that  little  village  and  by  the 
spring  of  1720  the  fort  was  substantially  completed. 
It  was  a  stockade  of  wood  strengthened  with  earth  be 
tween  the  palisades.  Within  the  enclosure  were  the 
commandant's  house,  a  barracks,  a  store-house  and  a 
blacksmith  shop,  all  constructed  of  hand-sawed  lumber. 

Almost  immediately  a  village  of  Indians  and  traders 
sprang  up  around  the  place  and  the  enterprising  Jesuits 
built  a  church,  St.  Anne  de  Chartres,  where  many  a 
service  was  recited  for  motley  congregations  of  red  and 
white.  For  thirty-six  years  this  first  Fort  Chartres 
flourished  and  during  this  time  was  the  setting  for 
dramatic  and  pregnant  happenings.  Here,  in  1720, 
came  Phillippe  Francois  de  Renault,  bringing  with  him 
five  hundred  San  Domingo  negroes  into  the  wilderness, 
thus  introducing  negro  slavery  into  Illinois.  In  1721 

11 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


the  post  was  visited  by  the  famous  Father  Xavier  de 
Charlevoix,  in  whose  train  was  a  young  Canadian  officer, 
Louis  St.  Ange  de  Belle  Rive,  who  was  destined  after 
ward  to  be  the  commandant  of  the  fort.  Under  the  ad 
ministration  of  the  Sieur  de  Liette,  1725-1730,  a  cap 
tain  in  the  Royal  army,  the  French  forces  were  engaged 
in  armed  pacification  of  the  Fox  Indians.  Belle  Rive 
succeeded  de  Liette  and  under  his  sway  the  post  became 
the  scene  of  social  gayety. 

In  1736  there  left  Fort  Chartres  a  disastrous  expedi 
tion  against  the  Chickasaw  Indians  on  the  far  distant 
Arkansas  River.  The  result  of  this  expedition  was  a 
defeat  in  which  D'Artaguette,  the  leader,  de  Vincennes, 
for  whom  the  little  town  of  Vincennes,  Indiana,  is 
named,  Father  Senat,  a  Jesuit,  and  about  fifteen  other 
Frenchmen  were  taken  prisoners  and  held  for  ransom. 
The  ransom  not  arriving,  the  prisoners  were  roasted  at 
a  slow  fire  by  their  savage  captors.  A  second  expedition 
against  the  Chickasaws  in  1739  was  somewhat  more  suc 
cessful. 

By  1751  the  fort  was  much  out  of  repair  and  in  this 
year  there  came  to  command  it  a  French  major  of  en 
gineers  (Irish  by  descent)  Chevalier  Macarty,  who  was 
accompanied  by  nearly  a  full  regiment  of  grenadiers. 
In  1753  the  second  Fort  Chartres,  a  solid  structure  of 
stone  and  one  of  the  strongest  fortifications  ever  erected 
on  the  American  continent,  was  commenced  by  Macarty 
and  his  men.  In  1756  it  was  finished.  The  site  chosen 

12 


STRONGHOLDS  OF  THE  PAST 


was  about  a  mile  above  the  old  fort  and  about  half  a 
mile  back  from  the  Mississippi  River  and  would  seem  to 
have  been  a  strange  selection  for  such  a  structure,  as  it 
was  low  and  marshy. 

Of  the  first  Fort  Chartres  not  a  sign  remains  to-day, 
and  its  exact  site  is  a  matter  of  disagreement.  Of  the 
second  Fort  Chartres  the  old  powder  magazine  is  to  be 
seen.  The  fort  itself  has  succumbed  to  the  encroach 
ments  of  the  river,  which  cut  away  its  bank  even  so  far 
back  as  to  undermine  the  walls  of  the  fort  itself  and, 
in  1772,  to  cause  the  desertion  of  the  structure  by  its 
garrison.  The  quarry  from  which  the  limestone  of  which 
the  walls  were  constructed  was  obtained  was  located  in 
the  great  bluffs  four  miles  east  of  the  point.  The  finer 
stone  with  which  the  arches  and  ornamental  parts  were 
faced  came  from  beyond  the  Mississippi. 

The  fort  covered  altogether  about  four  acres  and 
was  capable  of  sheltering  a  garrison  of  three  hundred 
men.  The  expense  of  its  erection  was  one  million  dol 
lars,  a  sum  of  money  only  equalled  in  those  days  by  the 
expenditure  for  the  fortifications  of  Louisburg,  Quebec, 
and  Crown  Point.  It  is  generally  believed  that  large 
profits  went  to  the  commandant  and  to  others  interested 
in  its  construction. 

The  command  of  the  point  in  1760  passed  from 
Macarty  to  Nenon  de  Villiers,  who  led  the  French  and 
Indians  against  Washington  at  Great  Meadows  in  the 
skirmish  which  virtually  was  the  opening  engagement  of 

13 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


the  French  and  Indian  War,  a  part  of  his  force  on  this 
occasion  being  drawn  from  the  garrison  of  Fort 
Chartres. 

The  veteran  St.  Ange  de  Belle  Rive,  stationed  at 
Vincennes,  took  charge  of  the  fort  in  1764  and  had  the 
melancholy  distinction  of  surrendering  it  to  the  English, 
October  10,  1765,  when  Captain  Thomas  Stirling  came 
from  Fort  Pitt  with  one  hundred  Highlanders  of  the 
42d  British  regiment, — a  fitting  distinction  when  one  re 
members  that  St.  Ange  had  been  in  command  of  the 
first  fort  shortly  after  its  establishment,  and  when  there 
was  no  rival  to  French  power  in  all  of  the  West. 

A  predecessor  of  Fort  Chartres  in  making  sure 
French  dominion  of  the  West  was  Fort  St.  Louis,  on 
Starved  Rock,  on  the  Illinois  River,  about  forty  miles 
southwest  of  Chicago  of  to-day  and  not  far  distant  from 
the  present-day  city  of  Ottawa,  Illinois.  Of  Fort  St. 
Louis  there  remains  not  a  trace,  but  to  its  existence  and 
to  La  Salle,  its  intrepid  founder,  there  will  for  centuries 
be  a  natural  monument — that  great  towering  crag  upon 
whose  flat  summit  the  stronghold  was  built. 

A  natural  phenomenon  of  great  geologic  interest, 
Starved  Rock  rises  directly  from  a  level  river  plain.  Its 
sides  are  as  steep  as  castle  wall  and  attain  a  height  of 
one  hundred  feet  and  more.  The  river  washes  its  western 
base  and  its  summit  overhangs  the  stream  so  that  water 
can  be  drawn  therefrom  by  means  of  a  bucket  and  a 
cord.  On  three  sides  the  pinnacle  of  the  rock  is  inaccess- 

14 


STRONGHOLDS  OF  THE  PAST 


ible  and  the  fourth  side  might  be  held  by  a  handful  of 
men  against  an  army.  The  top  of  the  cliff  measures 
about  two  hundred  feet  in  diameter  and  is  flat. 

On  this  ideal  site,  in  1682,  the  French  built  Fort  St. 
Louis.  In  less  than  three  months  fourteen  thousand 
Indians  lay  encamped  on  the  plains  of  the  river  within 
sound  of  the  guns  of  the  fort.  To-day  the  point  is  a 
pleasure  park. 

From  Fort  St.  Louis  many  an  exploring  expedition 
pushed  forth  into  the  wilderness  and  here  many  a  treaty 
was  concluded  with  savage  tribes.  While  frequently 
obliged  to  give  up  command  temporarily  Henry  de 
Tonti,  La  Salle's  very  faithful  lieutenant,  was  supreme 
at  Fort  St.  Louis  practically  from  its  foundation  until 
its  abandonment  in  1702.  In  1718  a  number  of  French 
traders  were  making  it  their  headquarters,  but  its  mili 
tary  history  ceased  with  Tonti's  departure. 

A  predecessor  even  of  Fort  St.  Louis  was  Fort 
Crevecceur — Fort  of  the  Broken  Heart — which  wore 
its  poetic  name  for  only  a  few  months  after  its  construc 
tion  in  1680,  by  La  Salle,  on  the  east  shore  of  the  Illinois 
River,  not  far  below  Peoria  Lake.  Fort  Crevecoeur 
was  destroyed  by  mutineers  during  the  absence  of  its 
commander,  Tonti,  and  was  not  rebuilt,  Fort  St.  Louis 
succeeding  to  its  mission.  The  exact  site  to-day  is  a 
matter  of  dispute. 

Fort  Crevecoeur  was  the  fourth  in  La  Salle's  com 
prehensive  scheme  of  a  chain  of  fortifications  to  extend 

15 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


from  Quebec,  the  centre  of  French  power,  up  the  St. 
Lawrence,  through  the  Great  Lakes,  across  the  portage 
country  which  lay  between  the  western  lakes  and  the 
headwaters  of  the  navigable  tributaries  of  the  Missis 
sippi  and  then  down  the  Mississippi  to  its  mouth,  thus 
hemming  in  the  English  to  their  coast  possessions  east 
of  the  Appalachian  range,  and  ensuring  the  vast  major 
part  of  the  American  continent  to  the  French.  The 
other  three  of  La  Salle's  fortifications  at  this  date  were 
Fort  Frontenac,  now  Kingston,  Ontario,  Canada;  Fort 
Niagara,  commanding  the  passage  from  Lake  Ontario 
to  Lake  Erie,  and  Detroit,  commanding  the  passage 
from  Erie  to  Michigan. 

The  foundation  of  the  city  of  Detroit  thus  needs  no 
further  pointing  out.  Where  La  Salle's  tentative  forti 
fications  were  the  city  now  presents  a  busy  water-front, 
with  steamers  and  factories  and  great  buildings  where 
Indian  canoes  and  the  palisades  of  the  French  once 
were. 

Developments  of  this  plan  of  La  Salle's,  which  was 
adhered  to  tenaciously  by  the  French  for  almost  a  cen 
tury,  until  they  fell  before  the  slow-growing  mass  of  the 
English,  were  Michillimackinac  and  a  chain  of  posts 
along  the  Ohio  River.  Of  this  Ohio  series  the  most 
important  element  was  the  much  fought  over  Fort 
Duquesne — the  objective  of  Braddock's  fateful  march 
—later  Fort  Pitt,  and  now  the  city  of  Pittsburgh. 

The  visitor  to  Pittsburgh  to-day  will  find  on  Fourth 

16 


2    ?r 


STRONGHOLDS  OF  THE  PAST 


street,  midway  between  the  Monongahela  and  Allegheny 
Rivers,  a  little  block-house,  more  correctly  a  redoubt, 
sixteen  by  fifteen  feet  in  lateral  dimensions  and  twenty- 
two  feet  high.  The  structure  is  constructed  of  brick 
covered  with  clapboards  and  with  a  layer  of  double 
logs,  and  contains  thirty-six  port-holes  in  two  layers. 
This  little  block-house  is  all  that  remains  to-day  of  Fort 
Pitt.  It  was  built  by  Colonel  Boquet  in  1764  and  was 
purchased  by  private  parties  in  the  early  days  of  Pitts 
burgh.  In  1894  the  property  was  deeded  by  its  owner  of 
that  generation,  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Schenley,  of  London,  to 
the  Pennsylvania  Chapter  of  the  Daughters  of  the 
American  Revolution,  and  is  maintained  by  this  organi 
zation  to-day  for  the  benefit  of  the  public. 

The  situation  of  Fort  Pitt  and  its  predecessor,  Fort 
Duquesne,  was  of  immense  strategic  importance  in  the 
early  days  of  the  American  nation,  the  considerations 
which  gave  it  value  having  operated  in  the  field  of  com 
merce  in  late  years  to  make  Pittsburgh  notable  as  a 
manufacturing  and  distributing  centre.  It  stood  at  the 
gateway  to  the  Ohio  River  and  the  rich  country  which 
the  Ohio  waters,  and  since  it  commanded  the  Ohio  it 
commanded  the  key  to  the  West. 

These  considerations  were  appreciated  by  the  Colo 
nial  Virginians,  and  in  1754  Captain  William  Trent  was 
commissioned  by  Governor  Dinwiddie,  of  Virginia,  to 
erect  a  fort  at  the  juncture  of  the  Monongahela  and  the 
Allegheny  Rivers  at  the  expense  of  the  Ohio  Company. 

2  17 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


Captain  Trent  commenced  his  work  in  February,  1754, 
but  in  April,  1754,  surrendered  to  a  detachment  of 
French  under  Le  Mercier. 

The  French  then  commenced  the  erection  of  a  fort  of 
their  own  on  the  extreme  neck  of  land  between  the  rivers. 
They  finished  their  work  in  the  summer  of  that  year  and 
named  it  Fort  Duquesne  in  honor  of  Governor- General 
Duquesne,  of  Canada. 

In  the  same  year  a  force  of  English  colonists,  about 
150  strong,  made  a  tentative  advance  against  the  work 
under  the  leadership  of  our  own  George  Washington, 
then  a  young  man.  Washington  found  the  post  too 
strong  for  attack  and  became  himself  the  object  of  hos 
tile  attention  from  the  French,  being  forced  to  fall  back 
to  Great  Meadows  and  to  erect  a  temporary  triangular 
earth  fortification  there  which  he  named  Fort  Necessity. 

In  1755  it  was  the  plan  of  the  British  ministry  to 
concentrate  its  forces  in  the  colonies  in  three  directions 
of  attack  against  the  French.  One  blow  was  to  be 
struck  at  Acadia;  a  second  blow  was  to  be  struck  at 
Crown  Point,  and  a  third,  under  General  Braddock,  an 
English-born  officer  of  wide  Continental  experience,  at 
Fort  Duquesne. 

Braddock's  unfortunate  march  began  May  27,  1755, 
from  Fort  Cumberland,  Maryland  (Cumberland,  to 
day),  and  of  the  details  of  that  disastrous  journey  little 
need  be  told  in  these  pages  as  the  story  is  already  famil 
iar.  Braddock  had  the  bravery  of  his  calling  and  the 

18 


STRONGHOLDS  OF  THE  PAST 


arrogance  and  presumption  of  the  European  brought 
into  contact  with  provincials.  He  did  not  believe  that 
anything  very  good  could  come  out  of  the  colonies  and 
did  not  hesitate  to  show  this  attitude  of  mind.  On  the 
line  of  march  he  scorned  to  send  out  scouts  ahead  as  was 
necessary  in  fighting  Indians.  He  insisted  on  sending 
his  Continental  troops  in  solid  order  against  an  enemy 
who  fought  behind  trees  and  stumps  in  any  kind  of 
order  that  suited  his  purpose.  He  committed  all  of  the 
stupidities  that  vanity  and  overweening  self-confidence 
could  dictate,  and,  when  the  French  in  a  despairing  last- 
minute  effort  against  overwhelming  numbers  had  found 
easy  victory,  gave  up  his  life  on  the  field  of  battle.  He 
was  buried  beneath  the  feet  of  the  retreating  troops  so 
that  their  steps  should  obliterate  from  the  fiendish  enemy 
the  location  of  his  last  resting  place. 

The  English  loss  in  this  battle  was  714  men  killed 
and  a  shattering  of  their  military  prestige  with  all  of  the 
Indian  people  of 'the  borderland.  The  French  loss  was 
3  white  men  killed  and  27  Indians.  The  access  to  their 
influence  amongst  the  savage  tribes  because  of  their 
unexpected  victory  was  much. 

Fort  Duquesne  fell  to  the  English  in  1758  when 
7,000  men  under  Brigadier  General  John  Forbes  slowly 
and  circumspectly  proceeded  against  it.  The  French 
deserted  the  post  after  attempting  to  destroy  it  and  the 
English  took  possession  November  25  of  that  year.  A 
new  fort  was  commenced  under  Forbes  which  stood  on 

19 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


the  Monongahela  side  of  the  city  at  the  south  end  of  the 
present  West  Street  and  between  West  and  Liberty 
Streets.  It  was  occupied  in  1760  and  was  completely 
finished  in  the  summer  of  1761.  The  stone  bomb-proof 
magazine  stood  until  1852  when  the  Pennsylvania  Rail 
road  built  its  freight  terminal  here. 

Of  the  remainder  of  the  line  of  French  forts  along 
the  Ohio  River  there  are  no  relics  left,  though  memorials 
have  been  established  at  several  points.  The  first  of 
this  Ohio  River  chain  was  Presque  Isle  on  Lake  Erie, 
now  the  little  city  of  Erie,  Pennsylvania.  For  some 
years  after  French  domain  in  the  New  World  Presque 
Isle  was  of  importance  and,  indeed,  for  some  years  after 
the  Revolution. 

The  post  was  taken  by  the  English  in  1759,  and  in 
1763  fell  a  victim  to  Indian  attack  as  a  corollary  to  the 
Pontiac  conspiracy  which  had  as  its  object  the  complete 
extinction  of  English  life  in  the  West.  The  fort,  a 
rectangle  of  earth  and  wooden  palisades,  stood  on  the 
wrest  bank  of  Mill  Creek  and  at  the  intersection  with 
the  shore  of  the  lake.  Here  the  veteran  Indian  fighter, 
General  Wayne,  died  in  1796.  In  1876  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania  erected  a  block-house  on  the  site  of  the 
old  fort  as  a  memorial.  This  block-house  is  now  in 
cluded  in  the  grounds  of  the  Pennsylvania  Sailors  and 
Soldiers'  Home. 

From  Presque  Isle  there  was  a  portage  to  Fort  Le 
Boeuf,  now  the  little  city  of  Waterford,  Pennsylvania. 

20 


STRONGHOLDS  OF  THE  PAST 


Fort  Le  Boeuf  stood  at  High  and  Water  Streets, 
Waterford,  though  there  is  at  this  point  no  sign  of  its 
existence.  It  was  erected  in  1753  and  fell  before 
Pontiac's  far-reaching  conspiracy  in  1763. 

Venango,  the  next  of  the  French  line  of  forts  east 
of  Pittsburgh  (Duquesne),  was  the  fore-runner  of 
Franklin,  Pennsylvania,  and  stood  at  Elk  and  Eighth 
Streets.  Of  Venango,  too,  no  sign  remains.  It  fell  to 
the  Indians  in  1763. 

South  of  Pittsburgh  the  English  had  a  post  at 
Brownsville,  on  the  Ohio  River,  Pennsylvania,  built  in 
1754,  and  known  as  Redstone  Old  Fort.  The  French 
had  Fort  Massac  to  which  about  one  thousand  troopers 
retired  after  the  evacuation  of  Fort  Duquesne.  Later 
years  also  saw  small  fortifications  developed  on  the 
Ohio  River,  some  holding  the  potentialities  of  future 
greatness  such  as  that  at  the  falls  of  the  Ohio  River, 
which  was  to  be  the  nucleus  of  the  settlement  of  the 
present-day  city  of  Louisville,  Kentucky. 

At  the  south  end  of  Lake  Erie  during  the  French 
occupancy  of  the  West  stood  Fort  Sandusky  which  has 
given  its  name  to  the  City  of  Sandusky  of  to-day.  On 
the  Maumee  River,  Indiana,  was  Fort  Miamis,  Miami 
of  to-day. 

In  the  early  days  of  the  French  there  had  been  a 
trading  post  at  the  site  of  the  future  great  city  of 
Chicago,  but  it  remained  for  the  United  States,  in  1803, 
to  establish  a  formal  fortification  here,  Fort  Dearborn, 

21 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


of  bloody  memory.  Fort  Dearborn,  as  every  good 
Chicagoan  knows,  or  ought  to  know,  stood  at  the  south 
ern  approach  to  the  Rush  Street  bridge  and  extended  a 
little  across  Michigan  Avenue  and  somewhat  into  the 
river,  as  it  now  is.  The  ground  rose  into  a  little  mound 
yielding  a  fine  view  of  the  surrounding  flat  prairie  land. 
Here  the  pioneer  soldiers  erected  a  rude  stockade  of  logs 
fifteen  feet  in  height  and  enclosing  a  space  sufficiently 
large  to  contain  a  small  parade  ground,  officers'  quarters, 
troop  barracks,  guard  house,  magazines  and  two  block 
houses,  one  at  the  northwest  and  the  other  at  the  south 
east  corner  of  the  palisade.  This  rude  structure  with 
its  small  garrison  was  the  seed  of  the  present-day  great 
city. 

Upon  the  outbreak  of  the  War  of  1812  General  Hull, 
who  was  commanding  the  American  army  of  the  border, 
ordered  the  evacuation  of  Fort  Dearborn,  as  the  place 
was  too  remote  to  be  adequately  defended  and  as  its 
possession  meant  no  access  of  strength  to  the  United 
States.  There  were  at  this  time  in  the  garrison  four 
officers  and  fifty-four  non-commissioned  officers  and 
privates  under  the  leadership  of  Captain  Nathan  Heald. 
The  wives  of  the  two  senior  officers  were  with  them  and  a 
number  of  the  privates  had,  also,  their  families,  so  that 
the  stockade  contained  twelve  women  and  twenty  chil 
dren. 

Though  an  experienced  soldier,  Captain  Heald 
seems  to  have  misjudged  the  temper  of  the  hostile 

22 


STRONGHOLDS  OF  THE  PAST 


Indians  surrounding  his  post  and  to  have  too  easily 
accepted  their  assurances  of  non-interference  with  the 
garrison  as  it  left  the  fort.  At  all  events,  on  August  15, 
1812,  Captain  Heald  evacuated  his  fort,  and  though  the 
Indians  allowed  the  little  company — a  long  cavalcade — 
to  proceed  as  far  as  the  end  of  present-day  Eighteenth 
Street  without  molestation,  they  then  fell  upon  men, 
women  and  children  indiscriminately.  Of  the  company 
of  Americans  only  a  handful  survived. 

In  1816  Fort  Dearborn  was  rebuilt  and  regarrisoned 
but  after  the  Black  Hawk  war  fell  into  disuse,  and  in 
1837  was  abandoned  by  the  army.  It  was  used  for 
various  purposes  by  different  departments  of  the  Fed 
eral  government  until  1857,  when  it  was  torn  down  ex 
cept  a  small  building  which  stood  until  the  great  fire  of 
1871.  A  commercial  building  now  occupies  the  site 
which  is  commemorated  by  a  small  bronze  tablet  set  into 
the  wall  by  the  Chicago  Historical  Society  in  1880. 

At  the  foot  of  Eighteenth  Street  at  the  point  where 
the  attack  upon  the  devoted  column  commenced,  a 
beautiful  bronze  monument  has  been  erected  depicting  a 
scene  from  the  massacre. 

Fort  Gage,  Illinois,  memorable  as  the  first  objective 
of  George  Rogers  Clark  in  1778,  stood  at  the  historic 
little  village  Kaskaskia,  of  French  foundation,  on  the 
Kaskaskia  River  near  the  confluence  of  that  stream  with 
the  Mississippi.  In  shape  an  oblong,  280  feet  by  251 
feet,  constructed  of  squared  timbers  founded  upon  heavy 

23 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


earthwork,  Fort  Gage  was  never  heavily  garrisoned. 
It  was  the  point  to  which  the  British  retired  when  the 
crumbling  walls  of  Fort  Chartres  would  no  longer  hold 
them.  In  1772  the  garrison  consisted  of  one  officer  and 
twenty  soldiers.  In  1778  when  Clark  reached  the  spot 
there  was  not  a  British  soldier  on  duty  and  the  fort  was 
in  command  of  a  Frenchman. 

Fort  Clark,  Illinois,  was  erected  in  1813  on  the  site 
of  the  future  city  of  Peoria,  Illinois,  and  about  where 
the  Rock  Island  depot  now  stands.  For  several  years  it 
gave  its  name  to  the  locality  and  was  a  post  of  impor 
tance  garrisoned  by  rangers  and  United  States  troops. 
At  one  time  it  sustained  a  severe  Indian  attack 

The  foundation  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  was  Fort  Wash 
ington,  which  was  in  existence  until  after  the  War  of 
1812. 


FORT  INDEPENDENCE 

(CASTLE  WILLIAM) 
CASTLE  ISLAND— BOSTON  HARBOR 


HAT  Bostonians  are  thankful 
people  truly  appreciating  their 
public  blessings  is  amply  proved 
by  the  way  in  which  they  turn 
out  to  Fort  Independence,  Castle 
Island,  now  a  part  of  the  Marine 
Park  of  their  city,  for  the  fresh 
air  and  unexciting  recreation  it  offers.  Other  citizens 
of  other  cities  create  parks  from  their  historic  places 
and,  then,  content  to  know  that  they  have  them  when 
they  want  them,  allot  the  day  and  night  watchmen 
entire  seclusion  in  these  domains.  With  Bostonians 
it  is  different:  On  any  bright  and  cheering  day 
throngs  can  be  found  at  the  old  fort,  of  various  classes 
and  of  widely  sundered  poles  of  thought;  but  joined 
together  in  one  great  common  heritage,  a  capacity 
for  making  use  of  that  which  they  have  and  of  taking 
their  pleasure  in  a  devout  and  noiseless  manner  not 
to  be  seen  amongst  the  habitants  of  any  other  great 
American  city. 

It  is  a  pleasant  place,  Castle  Island,  and  the  air 
there  on  a  sunny  day  sweeping  in  from  the  great  reaches 
of  Boston's  environing  waters  is  a  true  elixir.  The 
views  in  various  directions  are  entrancing,  showing,  in 
one  direction,  wide  expanses  of  blue  with  dim  islands  in 
the  distance  and  cottony  clouds  overhead;  in  another, 

25 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


the  shipping  and  sky-line  of  Boston  harbor  and  the 
jumbled  city.  Geographically  stated,  Castle  Island  is 
a  body  of  hard,  rocky  land,  most  of  which  is  occupied  by 
the  historic  old  fort,  and  it  is  situated  three  miles  from 
the  head  of  Boston  Harbor  and  two  hundred  yards  from 
City  Point,  South  Boston,  to  which  it  is  connected  by  a 
wooden  causeway.  On  the  mainland,  close  at  hand,  lies 
Boston's  famous  Aquarium,  where  the  frying  fishes 
playl 

Viewed  from  the  head  of  the  causeway,  the  fort  is  a 
very  gay  and  martial  figure  though  in  sober  earnest  it 
has  never  fired  a  shot  in  anger  in  its  life.  Structurally 
speaking,  it  is  a  pentagonal,  five-bastioned  enclosure 
whose  granite  walls  occupy  all  of  the  crest  of  the  emi 
nence  which  makes  up  the  island.  To  the  right,  from 
this  stand-point,  one  sees  running  off  a  long  thin  shal 
low  strip  of  gravelly  sand,  which  geologists  assert  has 
been  a  gift  from  the  sea  since  the  erection  of  the  fort. 
Originally,  they  say,  the  main  portion  of  the  island  was 
larger  than  it  is  now ;  so  what  was  taken  from  one  place 
seems  to  have  been  added  on  to  another. 

Passing  over  the  causeway  one  sees  to  the  left  hand, 
across  a  ribbon  of  water,  the  island  which  Fort  Win- 
throp  crowns  in  a  very  modest  and  inconspicuous  fashion. 
Passing  over  a  draw-bridge  one  enters  the  reservation 
and  finds  one's  self  beneath  the  shadow  of  the  walls  of 
the  fort  and  on  the  historic  ground  which  its  predeces 
sors  and  itself  have  held  in  fief  for  many,  many  years. 

26 


FORT  INDEPENDENCE 


Benches  may  be  found  here  and  there  for  the  rest-seek 
ing  wayfarer,  but  if  one  is  inspired  to  wander  around  the 
walls  he  will  find  many  interesting  sights,  and  will  be 
increasingly  struck  by  the  strength  and  formidableness 
of  the  abandoned  military  work,  highly  suggestive  of 
the  time  when  this  island  was  the  seat  of  military  power 
of  his  Majesty,  the  King  of  England,  in  his  colonies  in 
America. 

Historically  speaking,  Fort  Independence  is  one  of 
the  oldest  fortified  spots  in  America  and  it  was  of  ex 
ceeding  great  dignity  in  the  early  days  of  this  country. 
But  four  years  subsequent  to  the  incorporation  of  the 
town  of  Boston,  an  interesting  event  which  took  place 
in  1630,  Governor  Winthrop  and  a  party  of  his 
Puritans  visited  the  island  and,  we  are  told,  were  de 
tained  by  the  ice  without  shelter  for  a  day  and  a  night. 
Nevertheless  so  well  able  were  they  all  to  detach  them 
selves  from  their  personal  petty  feelings  that  they  each 
subscribed  five  pounds  sterling  of  Great  Britain  from 
their  own  pockets  in  order  to  raise  the  place  to  the 
dignity  of  a  fortified  point.  Two  "  Platforms  "  and  a 
fort  were  to  be  erected,  these  platforms  being  in  the 
nature  of  bateaux  with  guns  mounted  upon  them.  In 
the  July  following  their  adventure,  which  had  taken 
place  in  early  spring,  they  induced  the  legislature  to 
consent  to  fortifying  the  place.  The  first  fort  has  been 
described  as  a  "  castle  with  mud  walls."  The  masonry 
was  of  lime  made  from  oyster  shells. 

27 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


In  1644  the  arrival  of  a  French  man-of-war  in  the 
harbor  of  Boston  so  alarmed  the  citizens  of  the  province 
that  the  fort  which  had  gone  into  decay  was  rebuilt  at 
the  expense  of  six  neighboring  towns.  It  was  now  con 
structed  of  pine  trees,  stone  and  earth,  was  50  feet 
square  inside  and  had  walls  10  feet  thick. 

In  1665  the  fort  was  repaired  and  enlarged, — the 
spirit  of  military  preparedness  which  had  been  awak 
ened  by  the  Frenchman's  arrival  having  evidently  been 
kept  up.  A  small  castle  was  added  with  brick  walls  and 
three  stories  in  height.  There  was  a  dwelling-room  on 
the  first  floor  of  this  "  castle  ";  a  lodging-room  above;  a 
gun-room  over  the  latter  furnished  with  "  six  very  good 
saker  guns  "  and  three  lesser  guns  were  mounted  upon 
the  roof.  In  this  same  year  occurred  an  event  which 
gave  rise  to  much  curious  speculation  at  the  time  and  is 
retained  in  legend.  On  the  15th  of  July  a  stroke  of 
lightning  entered  one  of  the  rooms  of  the  fort,  killed 
Captain  Richard  Davenport,  the  commanding  officer, 
and  did  not  enter  the  magazine,  only  a  step  away, 
beyond  a  thin  partition,  where  there  was  stored  enough 
gunpowder  to  have  blown  the  fort  beyond  the  seas. 

Still  the  spirit  of  fire  had  its  due,  for  in  1673  the 
fort  was  burned  to  the  ground.  In  the  year  following 
a  new  fort  of  stone  was  erected.  It  had  four  bastions, 
mounted  thirty-eight  guns  and  sixteen  culverins,  in 
addition  to  a  water  battery  of  six  guns,  and  was  a  very 
imposing  work  indeed. 

28 


FORT  INDEPENDENCE 


In  1689  the  people  of  Boston,  favoring  the  Crom- 
wellians  in  England,  seized  the  royal  governor,  Edmund 
Andros,  and  placed  him  in  confinement.  They  took 
possession  of  the  castle  and  appointed  Mr.  John  Fair- 
weather  commander  to  succeed  Captain  John  Pipon. 

But  all  dissension  is  smoothed  down  by  the  hand  of 
Time.  Under  the  administration  of  Sir  Williams 
Phipps,  an  appointee  of  King  William,  the  fort  was 
named  Castle  William  and  the  Crown  donated  a  large 
sum  of  money  toward  the  erection  of  a  stronger  struct 
ure.  The  ordnance  then  became  24  nine-pounders,  12 
twenty-four  pounders,  18  thirty-two  pounders,  and  18 
forty-eight  pounders;  and  the  bastions  became  known 
by  the  names  of  the  "Crown,"  the  "Rose,"  the 
"  Royal,"  and  the  "  Elizabeth."  This  augmentation  of 
strength  was  the  more  necessary  as  a  French  invasion  of 
the  New  England  colonies  was  apprehended. 

And  so  we  run  on  through  the  years:  In  1716  Lieu 
tenant  Governor  William  Dummer,  a  well-known  name 
in  the  history  of  Massachusetts,  assumed  command  of 
Castle  William,  agreeable  to  orders  from  the  Crown, 
and  thereby  incurred  the  ill-feeling  of  the  general  court 
of  the  province  which  heretofore  had  had  prerogative 
in  the  appointment  of  a  commandant.  In  1740  the  fort 
was  repaired  in  anticipation  of  war  with  France  and  a 
new  bastion  mounting  20  forty-two  pounders  was 
created  and  named  Shirley  bastion. 

Ordnance  presented  by  the  King  arrived  in  1744;  a 

29 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


second  magazine  was  built  in  1747;  and  a  third  added 
during  Shirley's  administration.  In  1747  a  riot  oc 
curred  in  Boston  and  the  governor  took  refuge  at  the 
Castle.  Upon  assurance  that  his  authority  would  be 
sustained  the  governor  returned  to  the  city  two  days 
after  his  flight. 

On  the  15th  of  August,  1757,  Governor  Pownal 
arrived  to  assume  the  government  of  the  province. 
Sir  William  Pepperell,  conqueror  of  Louisburg,  held 
command  of  Castle  William.  In  accordance  with  cus 
tom  Sir  William  surrendered  the  key  of  the  castle  to 
the  new  executive  and  said,  "  Sir,  I  hand  you  the  key  of 
the  province."  Not  outdone  at  all,  Governor  Pownal 
replied,  "  Sir,  the  interests  of  the  province  are  in  your 
heart.  I  shall  always  be  glad,  therefore,  to  see  the  key 
of  the  province  in  your  hands."  Thus  the  doughty  old 
warrior  was  maintained  in  his  command  until  his  death 
in  1759. 

In  this  same  year  died  Captain  Lieutenant  John 
Larrabee,  who  had  lived  for  fifty  years  on  the  island  in 
the  service  of  the  Crown.  In  1764  the  Castle  was  used 
as  an  inoculation  station  during  the  ravages  of  a  plague 
of  smallpox  which  swept  the  little  city. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  the  fort  began  to  take 
part  in  the  events  with  which  Boston  is  associated  before 
the  outbreak  of  the  American  Revolution.  Stamps  by 
which  revenue  was  expected  to  be  raised  from  the 
colonies  were  brought  to  Boston  in  1765  and  for  security 

so 


FORT  WINTHROP  FROM  CASTLE  ISLAND 


Main  Entrance 
FORT  INDEPENDENCE,  CASTLE  ISLAND,  BOSTON,  MASS. 


FORT  INDEPENDENCE 


were  lodged  in  Castle  William.  Vigorous  opposition  in 
America  caused  the  repealment  of  the  act  of  which  they 
were  intended  to  be  the  tokens  of  enforcement  and  they 
were  taken  back  to  England  at  the  expiration  of  not 
many  months.  These,  it  will  be  seen,  were  not  the 
stamps  which  figured  in  the  famous  Boston  Tea  Party, 
but  they  were  of  the  same  nature.  The  maintenance 
of  a  large  force  of  military  at  Castle  William  by  the 
Crown  in  the  years  immediately  following  this  was  a 
source  of  irritation  to  the  patriots  of  the  day,  and  had 
an  influence  in  determining  the  events  which  brought 
about  the  separation  from  the  Mother  Country. 

Captain  Sir  Thomas  Adams,  who  died  on  board  the 
frigate  Romney,  was  buried  on  Castle  Island  October  8, 
1772,  and  his  obsequies  were  conducted  with  great  pomp. 
In  removing  earth  to  Fort  Independence  thirty  years 
later  his  corpse,  enclosed  in  a  double  coffin  highly  orna 
mented,  but  upon  which  the  inscription  had  become 
illegible,  was  dug  out,  and,  no  one  discovering  at  the 
time  whose  remains  the  coffin  contained,  it  was  com 
mitted  to  the  common  burying  ground  at  the  south 
point  of  the  island  where  its  resting-place  was  soon 
not  to  be  distinguished  from  that  of  the  common  soldiers 
which  surrounded  it. 

With  this  coffin  necessarily  others  were  removed,  and 
one  was  favored  with  an  inscription  which  betrayed,  we 
may  assume,  either  native  simplicity  or  British  sarcasm. 
It  read:  "  Here  lies  the  body  of  John,  aged  fifty  years,  a 
faithful  soldier  and  a  Desperate  Good  Gardner"! 

31 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


It  does  not  appear  that  the  force  quartered  on  the 
island  was  engaged  in  the  first  two  battles  of  the  Revo 
lution.  The  commandant  of  the  castle  had  been  sent  in 
February,  1776,  to  seize  powder  and  other  military 
stores  at  Salem;  but  he  was  delayed  at  the  ferry  by  the 
militia  until  the  objects  of  the  depredation  had  been 
moved  beyond  his  reach.  He  returned  peaceably  to 
the  island.  The  same  officer  was  ordered  from  Castle 
William  at  this  time  with  five  hundred  men  to  draw  the 
Americans,  by  a  false  attack,  from  their  posts  at  Rox- 
bury.  The  attack  did  not  succeed  and  the  burning  of 
five  or  six  houses  in  Dorchester  was  the  only  result. 

In  the  meantime  a  formidable  force  of  Americans 
was  concentrated  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston  under  Wash 
ington;  so  General  Howe,  the  successor  of  General 
Gage,  evacuated  the  town  March  17,  and  the  British 
fleet  dropped  below  the  Castle.  The  embarkation  had 
been  a  scene  of  confusion  and  distress,  it  being  the 
27th  of  March  before  the  transports  were  able  to  put  to 
sea.  At  their  departure  the  British  troops  threw  into 
the  water  iron  balls  and  shot,  broke  off  the  trunnions 
of  the  ordnance  given  to  Castle  William  in  1740,  de 
stroyed  the  military  stores  and  battery  apparatus  which 
they  could  not  take  with  them  and  finally  blew  up  the 
citadel,  leaving  the  island  a  mass  of  ruins.  Part  of  the 
British  fleet  lay  in  the  lower  harbor  until  June,  when 
it  was  harassed  by  American  troops  under  General  Lin 
coln  and  raised  the  blockade  of  Boston  Harbor  after 

32 


FORT  INDEPENDENCE 


the  exact  duration  of  two  years.  With  the  British  troops 
the  seat  of  the  war  was  removed  from  Massachusetts, 
and  Castle  Island  was  thenceforth,  unmolested,  in 
American  possession. 

Colonel  John  Turnbull  was  the  officer  sent  by  Gen 
eral  Washington  to  take  possession  of  the  island  after 
the  evacuation.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Paul  Revere  was 
stationed  on  the  island  from  1777  to  1779. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  Revolution  it  was  enacted 
by  the  legislature  of  Massachusetts  that  all  criminals 
of  the  State  under  sentence  of  confinement  should  be 
removed  to  Castle  Island.  Pursuant  to  this  law  con 
victs  were  sent  to  the  island,  and  though  their  number 
never  exceeded  ninety  their  audacity  taxed  the  vigilance 
of  the  garrison;  they  made  several  bold,  fruitless  efforts 
to  escape,  and  in  their  mutinies  some  were  killed  and 
some  wounded.  Others  met  their  death  while  endeavor 
ing  to  form  subterranean  passages.  Stephen  Bur 
roughs,  whose  extensive  forgeries  gave  him  great  noto 
riety,  here  learned  the  art  of  a  nailer,  and  in  his  published 
memoirs  has  publicly  boasted  of  his  Castle  Island 
exploits. 

It  was  with  reluctance  that  the  legislature  of  Massa 
chusetts  could  bring  itself  to  the  cession  of  the  Castle 
to  the  United  States  government,  but  the  State  was 
nevertheless  willing  to  sacrifice  the  partial  advantage 
to  the  public  good  and,  October,  1798,  passed  an  act  by 
which  the  transfer  was  accomplished. 

3  33 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


In  1799  President  Adams  visited  the  fort  and  was 
received  with  due  honors.  It  was  at  this  time  that  the 
name  was  changed  to  Independence.  With  regard  to 
this,  Captain  Nehemiah  Freeman  wrote:  "  The  bap 
tism  was  not  indecorous  and  the  godfather  (President 
Adams)  is  certaintly  unexceptionable;  but  Fort  Inde 
pendence  must  count  some  years  before  he  can  entirely 
divest  his  elder  brother  of  his  birthright;  and  though 
the  mess  of  pottage  might  have  been  sold  in  1776  yet 
the  title  of  *  The  Castle '  is  rather  endearing  to  the  in 
habitants  of  Massachusetts  and  is  still  bestowed  by  the 
greater  part  as  the  only  proper  appellation." 

A  new  fort  was  now  planned  and  constructed  under 
the  direction  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Louis  Toussard, 
who  was  inspector  of  all  of  the  posts  of  the  Eastern 
seaboard.  The  first  stone  was  laid  May  7,  1801,  and 
the  whole  superstructure  was  raised  from  an  original 
design  not  influenced  by  the  structure  standing  hitherto. 
On  the  23d  of  June,  1802,  the  national  colors  were  first 
displayed  at  the  new  fort.  The  work  was  a  barbette 
fortification  and  was  not  materially  different  from  the 
present-day  structure. 

The  five  bastions  of  the  fort  were  named,  in  1805,  as 
follows:  First,  "  Winthrop  "  after  Governor  Winthrop, 
under  whose  auspices  the  first  fort  was  built;  second, 
"  Shirley,"  who  repaired  Castle  William,  erected  other 
works  and  made  it  the  strongest  fortified  point  in 
British  America;  third,  "  Hancock,"  after  the  first  gov- 

34 


FORT  INDEPENDENCE 


ernor  of  the  commonwealth  of  Massachusetts,  under 
whose  administration  new  works  were  thrown  up; 
fourth,  "  Adams,"  after  John  Adams,  who  bestowed 
its  present  name  upon  the  fort  and  collected  materials 
for  its  construction;  fifth,  "Dearborn,"  after  General 
Dearborn,  Secretary  of  War,  under  whose  auspices 
Fort  Independence  was  actually  rebuilt. 

In  1833  the  garrison  was  withdrawn  and  the  post 
given  over  to  the  Engineers  Department  for  construct 
ing  a  new  work,  in  effect  a  modernification  and  im 
proved  edition  of  the  former  structure.  Work  was 
prosecuted  at  intervals  during  the  succeeding  eighteen 
years.  The  post  was  regarrisoned  July  4,  1851.  The 
garrison  was  finally  withdrawn  November  25, 1879,  and 
Fort  Independence  went  out  of  service. 

Not  long  after  that  the  island  was  deeded  to  the 
city  by  the  Federal  War  Department  for  use  as  a  pub 
lic  park.  That  it  could  ever  be  of  service  as  a  fighting 
man  now  in  its  old  age  is  extremely  improbable.  The 
defence  of  Boston  depends  upon  batteries  located  at  a 
far  greater  distance  from  the  city. 

To  the  north  from  Fort  Independence  can  be  seen 
the  island  upon  which  Fort  Winthrop  is  situated  and 
in  the  distance  at  the  mouth  of  the  harbor  can  be  seen 
dirnly  the  site  of  Fort  Warren.  Both  of  these  posts 
have  reached  a  dignified  age,  but  neither  has  years  or 
historical  importance  approximating  that  of  their  big 
brother. 


FORT  COLUMBUS,  OR  JAY 

GOVERNOR'S  ISLAND— NEW  YORK  HARBOR 


Even  Governor's  Island,  once  a  smiling  garden,  appertaining 
to  the  sovereigns  of  the  province,  was  now  covered  with  fortifi 
cations,  inclosing  a  tremendous  block-house, — so  that  this  once 
peaceful  island  resembled  a  fierce  little  warrior  in  a  big  cocked  hat, 
breathing  gunpowder  and  defiance  to  the  world! — Washington 
Irving,  "Knickerbocker's  New  York/' 


|fe£)  HE  graceful  little  island  of  Wash 
ington  Irving  is  described  in  a 
recent  publication  of  the  govern 
ment  printing  office  at  Washing 
ton  after  the  following  eloquent 
fashion:  "  Irregular  in  form  but 
approaches  nearly  the  segment  of 
an  oblate  spheroid,  its  longest  diameter  being  from  north 
to  south,  and  about  800  yards  in  length.  The  transverse 
diameter  is  about  500  yards.  It  has  an  elevation  above 
high-water  mark  of  20  feet,  and  its  face  is  smooth  and 
green,  with  a  rich  carpet  of  grass." 

On  the  top  of  the  highest  feature  of  this  smooth, 
green  face  with  its  rich  carpet  of  grass  is  Fort  Columbus, 
more  properly  known  by  its  ancient  name  of  Fort  Jay. 
No  doubt  you  will  find  it  hard  to  visualize  the  impor 
tance  of  Fort  Jay.  It  is  the  head-quarters  of  the  De 
partment  of  the  East  of  the  army  of  the  United  States, 
you  may  be  told.  Yes,  you  will  answer  indifferently, 
it  is  a  quiet  little  place,  not  nearly  so  noisy  as  the 
roaring  forties  of  Broadway;  it  keeps  to  itself  and  is  a 
sort  of  annex  to  the  foot  of  the  city  to  prevent  the  sea- 

36 


ENTRANCE  TO  FORT  COLUMBUS   (FORT  JAY)   GOVERNOR'S  ISLAND, 
NEW  YORK  HARBOR 


FORT  COLUMBUS,  OR  JAY 


ward  view  from  the  Battery  being  without  variety !  Yet 
once  on  a  time,  not  much  more  than  a  hundred  years  ago, 
Fort  Jay  was  of  so  great  importance  to  the  city  that  the 
citizens  all,  rich  men,  poor  men,  beggarmen,  and  thieves 
(then,  too),  turned  out  in  a  body  to  build  up  the  place 
overnight. 

The  first  point  of  land  ever  occupied  in  New  York 
by  the  Dutch  was  Governor's  Island,  we  are  told  on  the 
excellent  authority  of  Joseph  Dankers  and  Sluyter,  of 
Wueward,  in  Frusland,  in  "  A  Voyage  to  The  Ameri 
can  Colonies  in  1679-80  ":  "  In  its  mouth  (East  River) 
before  the  city,  between  the  city  and  Red  Hook  on  Long 
Island,  lies  Noten  Island  (Governor's  Island)  opposite 
the  fort,  the  first  place  the  Hollanders  ever  occupied  in 
the  bay.  It  is  now  only  a  farm  with  a  house  and  a  place 
upon  it  where  the  governor  keeps  a  parcel  of  sheep." 

The  fort  here  referred  to  was  not  Jay  but  Fort  Am 
sterdam,  later  Fort  George,  of  historic  memory,  which 
stood  on  Manhattan  where  the  Customs  House  of  New 
York  City  now  is.  "  Red  Hook  on  Long  Island  "  later 
was  fortified,  too,  forming  one  of  the  line  of  defences  cap 
tured  by  the  British  from  the  Americans  in  their  descent 
upon  New  York  in  the  early  days  of  the  Revolution. 
The  Indian  name  for  Governor's  Island  was  Pagganck, 
and  Noten, — as  above  written, — or  Nutten,  or  Nooten, 
came  about  from  the  abundance  of  nuts  which  could  be 
found  on  the  island. 

In  1637,  the  redoubtable  Wouter  Van  T wilier,  first 

37 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


governor  of  the  colony  under  the  New  Amsterdam  com 
pany  of  which  he  had  been  a  director,  secured  for  his  per 
sonal  use  the  island.  It  is  fair  to  look  at  this  gentleman 
inquisitively.  "  The  renowned  Wouter  (or  Walter) 
Van  Twiller  was  descended  from  a  long  line  of  Dutch 
Burgomasters,"  says  Washington  Irving,  "  who  had  suc 
cessively  dozed  away  their  lives,  and  grown  fat  upon  the 
bench  of  magistracy  in  Rotterdam;  and  who  had  com 
ported  themselves  with  such  singular  wisdom  and  pro 
priety  that  they  were  never  either  heard  or  talked  of— 
which,  next  to  being  universally  applauded,  should  be 
the  object  of  ambition  of  all  magistrates  and  rulers. 
.  .  .  many  a  dunderpate,  like  the  owl,  the  stupidest  of 
birds,  comes  to  be  considered  the  very  type  of  wisdom. 
This,  by  the  way,  is  a  casual  remark  which  I  would  not  for 
the  universe  have  it  thought  I  apply  to  Governor  Van 
Twiller.  It  is  true  he  was  a  man  shut  up  within  himself, 
like  an  oyster,  and  rarely  spoke  except  in  monosyllables ; 
but  then  it  was  allowed  he  seldom  said  a  foolish  thing. 
So  invincible  was  his  gravity  that  he  was  never  known  to 
laugh  or  even  to  smile  through  the  whole  course  of  a  long 
and  prosperous  life.  Nay,  if  a  joke  were  uttered  in  his 
presence,  that  set  light-minded  hearers  in  a  roar,  it  was 
observed  to  throw  him  into  a  state  of  perplexity.  Some 
times  he  would  deign  to  inquire  into  the  matter,  and 
when,  after  much  explanation,  the  joke  was  made  as 
plain  as  a  pike-staff,  he  would  continue  to  smoke  his  pipe 

38 


Fort  Washington  Point.     Fort  Lee  on  Opposite  Shore 


Where  was  Fort  Amsterdam ;   the  Customs  House 
FORT  SITES  IN  PRESENT-DAY  NEW  YORK  CITY 


FORT  COLUMBUS,  OR  JAY 


in  silence  and  at  length,  knocking  out  the  ashes,  would 
exclaim,  *  Well,  I  see  nothing  in  all  that  to  laugh  about/ 
"  The  person  of  this  illustrious  old  gentleman  was 
formed  and  proportioned  as  though  it  had  been  moulded 
by  the  hands  of  some  cunning  Dutch  statuary,  as  a  model 
of  majesty  and  lordly  grandeur.  He  was  exactly  five 
feet  six  inches  in  height,  and  six  feet  five  inches  in  cir 
cumference.  His  head  was  a  perfect  sphere  and  of  such 
stupendous  dimensions  that  Dame  Nature  with  all  her 
sex's  ingenuity  would  have  been  puzzled  to  construct 
a  neck  capable  of  supporting  it;  wherefore  she  wisely 
declined  the  attempt  and  settled  it  firmly  on  the  top  of 
his  backbone  just  between  the  shoulders.  His  body  was 
oblong  and  particularly  capacious  at  bottom;  which  was 
wisely  ordained  by  Providence,  seeing  that  he  was  a  man 
of  sedentary  habits  and  very  averse  to  the  idle  labor  of 
walking.  His  legs  were  short  but  sturdy  in  proportion 
to  the  weight  they  had  to  sustain ;  so  that  when  erect  he 
had  not  a  little  the  appearance  of  a  beer-barrel  on  skids. 
His  face,  that  infallible  index  of  the  mind,  presented  a 
vast  expanse  unfurrowed  by  any  of  those  lines  and 
angles  which  disfigure  the  human  countenance  with  what 
is  termed  expression.  Two  small  gray  eyes  twinkled 
feebly  in  the  midst,  like  two  stars  of  lesser  magnitude  in 
a  hazy  firmament,  and  his  full-fed  cheeks,  which  seemed 
to  have  taken  toll  of  everything  that  went  into  his  mouth, 
were  curiously  mottled  and  streaked  with  dusky  red,  like 
a  Spitzenberg  apple." 

39 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


After  the  seizure  of  the  colony  by  the  British  in  1664, 
the  island  became  a  perquisite  of  the  governor's  office,  a 
sort  of  retreat  from  care  for  the  occupant  of  that  har 
assed  position,  and  was  developed  into  a  smiling  garden. 
At  this  time  it  became  known  as  Governor's  Island,  the 
name  that  has  become  its  official  designation  on  the 
charts  of  the  present  day. 

The  first  immigrants  to  New  York  under  the  English 
were  assigned  by  the  council  to  Nutten  Island  for  deten 
tion  until  the  presence  or  non-presence  of  contagious  dis 
ease  in  their  ranks  could  be  proved.  These  immigrants 
were  about  fifty  Palatines  who  had  been  driven  from 
their  home  land  by  the  war  between  Louis  XIV  and 
Holland  and  Austria.  Subsequently  10,000  followed 
these  first  fifty  unfortunate  exiles.  The  island  thus  be 
came  the  first  quarantine  station  of  the  city  of  New  York. 

During  the  wars  of  the  Spanish  Succession  until  the 
Treaty  of  Utrecht  in  1713  the  people  of  the  colonies  of 
British  North  America  were  in  constant  dread  of  attack 
by  the  French  navy  and  during  this  time  it  was  urged 
continually  that  Governor's  Island  should  be  changed 
from  a  garden  to  a  fortified  spot.  Notwithstanding  this 
fact  the  successive  executives  Slaughter,  Fletcher  and 
Cornbury  did  nothing  toward  carrying  out  the  desires  of 
their  subjects. 

It  was  a  happy-go-lucky,  careless  era.  Indeed  when 
one  looks  back  upon  the  perils  of  the  early  colonies  and 
how  they  were  survived  it  is  like  looking  back  upon  the 

40 


FORT  COLUMBUS,  OR  JAY 


perils  of  childhood  and  wondering  how  one  ever  man 
aged  to  get  through.  The  colonies  "  just  growed,"  which 
is  true  of  a  variety  of  things  in  this  world,  no  doubt. 

During  Governor  Cornbury's  administration,  fifteen 
thousand  pounds  (a  value  in  present  day  terms  of  far 
beyond  seventy-five  thousand  dollars)  was  appropriated 
for  building  a  fort  upon  Governor's  Island,  but  Gov 
ernor  Cornbury  used  the  money  to  build  a  pleasure  house 
instead,  to  which  he  and  succeeding  governors  might  re 
tire  from  press  of  business. 

Governor  Cornbury,  we  may  believe,  was  an  edifying 
addition  to  the  staid  burgher  circles  of  old  New  York. 
He  was  a  small,  shrimpish  man,  we  are  told,  and  inordi 
nately  vain.  Being  a  cousin  to  her  most  Christian  Maj 
esty,  Queen  Anne,  to  which  circumstance  he  owed  his 
appointment,  and  having  been  assured  that  he  resembled 
her  hugely  in  appearance,  he  was  in  the  habit  of  dressing 
himself  like  a  woman  and  posing  upon  the  balcony  of  his 
home, — that  New  Yorkers  might  be  thrilled  by  a  re 
flection  of  royalty.  Despite  his  royal  connections  his 
household  was  most  impecunious  and  his  wife  gained  a 
reputation  for  borrowing  things  which  she  had  no  inten 
tion  of  ever  giving  back.  Whenever  the  executive  coach 
would  be  seen  going  the  round  of  the  streets  on  social 
duties  bent,  the  good  wives  who  might  expect  visits  from 
her  ladyship  would  say,  it  is  said,  "  Quick,  put  away 
that  fancy  work  and  that  vase"  (or  this  and  that), 
"  Kathrine!  Her  ladyship  is  about  to  call  upon  us/' 

41 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


Father  Time  strolled  on  through  the  terms  of  the 
various  royal  governors  noting  their  idiosyncrasies  and 
continually  hearing  the  cry  that  Governor's  Island 
should  be  fortified,  but  not  by  any  of  these  gentlemen  did 
he  discover  action  taken.  It  was  not  until  after  the 
Continental  Congress,  October  6,  1775,  directed  that 
means  should  be  immediately  devised  to  make  New  York 
defensible  that  the  little  city  one  morning  woke  up  to 
find  that  there  were  rudimentary  fortifications  on  Gov 
ernor's  Island.  Of  course  these  fortifications  were  sup 
plementary  to  the  fort  on  the  main  island  upon  which  the 
city  chiefly  depended,  Fort  George.  This  was  the  name 
the  English  had  given  to  Fort  Amsterdam's  successor, 
an  enlarged  and  strengthened  edition  of  its  original. 

Of  little  avail  did  all  of  these  works  prove,  however, 
for  the  English,  after  the  battle  of  Long  Island,  August 
27,  1776,  were  easily  masters  of  the  Americans  in  that 
part  of  the  world.  On  August  30th,  Admiral  Howe 
sailed  up  New  York  Bay  and  anchored  near  the  island, 
and  the  city  of  New  York  passed  into  British  possession, 
not  to  be  surrendered  until  the  close  of  the  war. 

The  little  force  of  men  on  Governor's  Island  under 
the  command  of  Colonel  Prescott  abandoned  the  place 
on  the  approach  of  the  British.  One  man  was  injured  by 
a  bullet  in  the  arm  as  they  were  pulling  away  from  the 
island.  The  place  was  garrisoned  by  the  British  during 
their  occupancy  of  New  York  and  was  fortified  more  ex 
tensively  than  it  ever  had  been  before. 

42 


FORT  COLUMBUS,  OR  JAY 


The  site  of  all  of  these  works  was  the  site  of  present- 
day  Fort  Columbus  or  Fort  Jay. 

After  the  Revolution  the  value  of  Governor's  Island 
as  a  place  of  fortification  was  not  taken  advantage  of 
and  the  works  were  allowed  to  fall  into  decay.  In  1784 
Governor  Clinton  leased  the  spot  to  a  certain  Dr.  Price 
as  the  site  for  a  hotel  and  race  course.  This  course  was 
open  during  1785  and  1786  and  had  staged  upon  it 
many  exciting  trials  of  speed. 

We  have  seen  Governor's  Island  as  a  flowery  retreat 
for  the  governors  of  New  York  from  the  cares  of  office, 
and  we  have  looked  in  upon  it  in  the  charge  of  the  rough 
soldiery  of  England.  We  now  see  it  as  the  scene  of  the 
dissipations  of  the  rabble  and  the  lusty  young  sports  of 
the  old  city.  Yet  another  day  is  in  store  for  the  historic 
spot. 

After  the  retirement  of  Washington  from  the  presi 
dency  the  irritation  between  France  and  this  country 
became  intense,  and  fears  were  entertained  of  conflict 
between  the  European  nation  and  its  young  former  pro 
tege.  Agitation  began  once  more  in  New  York  for  the 
building  up  of  the  defensive  works  on  Governor's  Island. 
Pressing  recommendations  were  made  to  the  federal 
authorities.  The  story  may  be  taken  up  and  carried  on 
here  in  the  words  of  a  government  report: 

'  The  Secretary  of  War  reported,  December  19, 
1794,  that  one  bastion  commanding  two  low  batteries 
had  been  undertaken  and  was  in  a  considerable  state  of 

43 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


forwardness,  but  observed  that  the  works  being  only 
sodded  would  not  stand  very  long.  On  January  18, 
1796,  the  Secretary  reported  to  the  Senate  that  Gov 
ernor's  Island  had  been  fortified  with  a  fort  made  of 
earth  and  two  batteries,  under  its  protection,  partly  lined 
with  brick  masonry ;  that  there  had  been  erected  two  hot 
air  furnaces,  a  large  powder  magazine  and  a  barracks 
for  the  garrison;  on  February  10,  1797,  that  no  altera 
tions  had  been  made  since  January  1796,  except  in  the 
repairs  and  such  additions  as  could  be  made  to  the  garri 
son.  During  this  time  there  had  been  expended  by  the 
general  government  on  the  fortifications  of  the  island  as 
follows:  1794,  $1,327;  in  1795,  $6,866.54;  in  1796, 
$1,124. 

"  But  now  the  apprehension  of  a  French  invasion 
caused  such  clamor  for  protection  among  the  people  that 
immediate  attention  by  the  general  government  was  be 
stowed  upon  properly  fortifying  Governor's  Island. 
Thirty  thousand  one  hundred  and  seventeen  dollars  was 
at  once  appropriated  to  be  expended  upon  the  fort,  which 
now  became  known  as  Fort  Jay.  Such  was  the  fervor  of 
the  day  that  the  professors  and  students  of  Columbia 
College  went  in  a  body  to  Governor's  Island  and  worked 
on  the  fortifications  with  shovels  and  wheelbarrows. 

"  Liberal  appropriations  were  made  by  Congress  in 
the  three  succeeding  years  for  completing  and  improving 
the  fort.  In  1799,  Congress  appropriated  $30,116.18; 
in  1800,  $20,124;  in  1801,  $10,338.05.  No  further  im- 

44 


FORT  COLUMBUS,  OR  JAY 


provements  were  made  until  1806,  when  Fort  Jay  with 
the  whole  of  its  buildings  was  demolished  except  the 
walled  counterscarp,  the  gate,  the  sally-port,  the  maga 
zine,  and  two  barracks ;  all  the  rest  was  removed  to  give 
place  for  a  work  of  durable  materials.  On  the  site  of  the 
old  fort  a  new  one,  Fort  Columbus,  was  erected,  an  in 
closed  pentagonal  work  with  four  bastions  of  masonry, 
calculated  for  one  hundred  guns,  being  of  the  same  shape 
on  three  sides  as  Fort  Jay,  with  the  addition  of  fourteen 
feet  on  each  side,  and  on  the  north  side  of  a  ravelin,  with 
two  retired  casemates.  Such  was  Fort  Columbus  when 
it  was  completed  in  1809." 

Despite  the  flurried  haste  of  New  Yorkers  to  have 
the  fort  completed,  despite  the  unprecedented  exertions 
of  the  Columbia  students  with  shovels  and  wheelbarrows, 
Fort  Columbus,  or  Jay  as  it  has  been  rebaptized  of  re 
cent  years  in  military  circles,  has  never  been  in  active 
service. 

Indeed,  during  the  war  of  1812,  only  three  years 
after  its  completion,  the  need  of  a  post  farther  out  to  sea 
than  this  called  for  the  erection  of  that  quaint  little  brick 
strong-box  just  off  present-day  Fort  Hamilton  known 
as  Fort  Lafayette.  It  was  called  originally  Fort  Dia 
mond  but  was  renamed  in  honor  of  the  great  Frenchman 
on  his  visit  to  this  country  in  1824.  Overshadowed  by 
its  great  modern  neighbor  (Fort  Hamilton),  the  little 
fortification  is  rarely  observed,  but  it  is  still  in  active 
service  and  might  give  good  account  of  itself  if  called 

45 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


upon  to  do  so,  better  account  in  fact  than  its  sire  nestling 
close  to  America's  greatest  city. 

Not  far  from  Fort  Jay  on  Governor's  Island  is  a 
little  work  whose  name  is  not  unfamiliar  to  New 
Yorkers.  It  is  Castle  Williams.  Begun  in  1807,  it  was 
completed  in  1811  and  as  a  military  weapon  has  never 
been  of  service  to  the  city  which  it  was  created  to  help 
protect.  As  a  landmark  in  the  harbor,  however,  it  has 
acquired  some  little  distinction  solely  through  merit  of 
the  years,  just  as  some  men  live  through  an  entirely 
commonplace  youth  and  middle  age  to  become  in  their 
last  years  notable  figures  in  their  communities  as  class 
mates  of  Father  Time. 

At  about  the  time  that  Castle  Williams  was  being 
constructed,  a  similar  work  was  in  erection  just  off  the 
Battery,  Manhattan,  on  a  ledge  of  rocks  now  a  part  of 
the  city  itself.  This  was  Fort  Clinton,  which  is  the  Cas 
tle  Garden,  or  Aquarium,  of  the  present  day.  Fort  Jay 
and  Castle  Williams,  Fort  Clinton  and  the  Battery  were 
the  outing  places  of  New  Yorkers  before  the  Civil  War. 
To  the  Island  or  the  Battery  did  the  residents  of  the  city 
repair  for  air  and  recreation  on  holidays  and  Sundays. 
An  illuminating  picture  of  this  phase  of  the  city's  life 
is  drawn  by  Abram  C.  Dayton  in  his  "  Last  Days  of 
Knickerbocker  Life  in  New  York." 

"  Castle  Garden,  the  legend  says,"  he  writes,  "  was 
created  to  protect  the  city  against  invasion.  Whether 
these  invaders  were  to  be  New  Jersey  Indians  armed 

46 


FORT  COLUMBUS,  OR  JAY 


with  bows  and  arrows  or  Staten  Island  pirates  bent  upon 
destruction  with  popguns  and  firecrackers  is  not  re 
lated;  but  it  is  certain  a  very  limited  force  would  have 
been  required  to  effect  an  entrance  through  its  brick 
walls.  About  the  time  we  write  of  its  loud-mouthed 
armament  had  been  removed"  (about  1860) :  "it  had 
been  placed  by  special  orders  from  somewhere  on  a 
peace  footing.  It  was  neither  a  concert  saloon,  an  opera 
house,  nor  a  receptacle  for  needy  immigrants;  but  the 
old  white-washed  barn  was  devoted  to  the  restaurant 
business  on  a  very  limited  scale,  as  ice  cream,  lemonade, 
and  sponge  cake  constituted  the  list  of  delicacies  from 
which  to  select.  The  ticket  of  admission  required  to  pass 
its  portcullis  cost  one  shilling;  but  that  was  a  mere  form 
instituted  to  guarantee  perfect  decorum,  for  it  was  re 
deemed  as  cash  in  exchange  for  either  of  the  above  speci 
fied  articles  of  refreshment.  At  the  close  of  a  summer 
day  its  frowning  battlements  were  crowded  with  listeners 
eager  to  catch  a  strain  of  martial  music  wafted  from 
Governor's  Island. 

"  Rabineau's  swimming  bath  was  moored  to  the 
wooden  bridge  which  connected  the  old  fort  with  the 
Battery  grounds ;  and  on  its  roof  protected  by  an  awn 
ing  might  be  seen,  after  banking  hours  on  summer  after 
noons,  substantial  citizens  comfortably  seated  and  re 
freshing  themselves  after  their  bath  with  the  sea  breeze, 
accompanied  by  mint  julep  and  sherry  cobblers." 

Prior  to  1852,  Fort  Columbus  was  for  several  diiFer- 

47 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


ent  short  periods  of  time  empty  of  troops,  but  since  that 
year  it  has  always  contained  a  garrison.  In  addition  to 
being  the  head-quarters  of  the  Department  of  the  East, 
the  old  post  is  now  used  as  a  military  prison  and  as  a 
landing-place  for  the  aerial  branch  of  the  army. 

A  visit  to  Governor's  Island  to-day  is  a  pleasant  ex 
cursion  for  a  stranger  in  new  New  York  and  the  port 
would  be  a  new  sight  for  most  New  Yorkers,  so  un 
familiar  are  familiar  places  to  those  who  are  closest  to 
them.  One  must  have  a  pass  from  the  military  authori 
ties  at  the  island  to  go  through  the  old  works,  but  this 
can  be  secured  upon  written  application  without  great 
difficulty  by  any  citizen  of  the  United  States. 

A  fine  figure  of  a  place  Fort  Columbus  seems  to  be, 
— rather  a  braggart  in  its  way!  It  spreads  out,  girded 
by  its  "  dry  moat,"  over  the  crest  of  the  hill  on  which  it 
is  placed,  in  a  truly  threatening  attitude.  But  one  does 
not  need  to  be  told  that  this  is  hollow  sham.  A  single 
shell  from  a  modern  engine  of  war  would,  no  doubt, 
finish  all  of  its  pretensions. 

Looking  from  its  sunny  interior  beyond  its  battle- 
mented  walls  one  can  see  the  airy  fabric  of  New  York's 
marvellous  sky-scrapers  against  the  eastern  sky,  a  poig 
nant  contrast  to  the  old  stronghold.  Age  and  youth! 
In  this  comparison  the  fort  has  that  advantage  which 
always  inheres  in  years,  it  has  seen  youth  grow  from  in 
fancy  and  it  knows  the  quick  passing  of  all  things. 


TICONDEROGA 

LAKE  CHAMPLAIN— NEW  YORK 


NE  could  desire  to  be  at  the  bold 
promontory  of  Ticonderoga  in 
1609,  when  the  virgin  woodside 
gazed  anxiously  at  Samuel  Cham- 
plain,  that  intrepid  French 
adventurer,  as  he  fired  his  bell- 
mouthed  musket  against  the  mys 
tified  Iroquois.  The  echoes  of  the  discharge  of  this 
ancient  firearm  were  seldom  allowed  to  die  in  these  wil 
dernesses  until  the  beginning  of  the  Nineteenth  Century, 
until  the  complete  ascendency  of  white  man  over  red 
had  been  established. 

Standing  upon  the  ramparts  of  the  old  fort  one 
may  to-day  easily  imagine  himself  in  a  virgin  forest 
world.  Civilization  has  set  her  hand  upon  Lake  Cham- 
plain,  but  her  work  is  not  obtrusively  near  to  the  fort. 
The  hills  to  the  rear  are  still  wooded ;  the  waters,  to  front 
and  sides,  are  clear;  and  the  same  blue  bends  over 
all.  The  immediate  surroundings  are  little  different 
from  those  in  which  Champlain  fought  his  opera-boufFe 
fight  and  inaugurated  the  long  struggle  between  red 
men  and  white  in  this  part  of  the  world. 

We  must  remember  that  in  1609  the  French  had 
already  taken  hold  of  New  France.  They  had  a  queru 
lous,  contumacious  baby  of  a  colony  on  the  Saint  Law 
rence  at  Quebec  and  to  this  point  came  many  curious 

4  49 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


red  men.  With  some  of  these  red  men  the  French  had 
formed  alliance. 

One  tribe  of  these  allies  had  seen  the  thunderous 
cannon  and  guns  of  the  French  and  had  suggested  that 
these  weapons  be  taken  out  and  turned  upon  some  of 
the  ancient  enemies  of  that  tribe.  The  idea  had  ap 
pealed  to  Champlain  as  eminently  a  clever  one,  and  with 
eleven  other  Frenchmen  armed  with  arquebuses  and 
clad  in  light  armor  he  had  set  out,  on  the  28th  of  June, 
with  three  hundred  amiable  red  people.  The  party 
proceeded  up  the  Saint  Lawrence  as  far  as  the  river 
which  afterward  became  known  as  the  Richelieu  and 
here  paused  for  feasting  and  a  carouse.  During  the 
course  of  this  ceremony  three-quarters  of  the  Indians 
became  huffy  over  a  trifle  and  left  for  their  homes  in 
a  hurry,  reducing  the  expedition  to  eleven  Frenchmen 
and  seventy-five  Indians. 

As  the  expedition  proceeded  the  Indians  consulted 
their  tutelary  spirits.  A  small  circular  tent  would  be 
raised  of  skins  over  saplings  and  into  this  would  crawl  the 
medicine  man  with  shudders  and  groans.  A  grand  com 
motion  would  be  heard  and  then  the  voice  of  the  spirit 
would  speak  in  a  thin,  treble  squeak.  The  tent  structure 
would  dance  violently  around  and  the  savage  spectators 
would  feel  that  their  divinity  was  having  a  very  busy  time. 

At  length  the  French  and  Indians  approached  the 
lake  which  was  to  bear  the  name  of  the  white  chief,  and 
made  their  way  upon  it  in  canoes.  They  came  to  a 

50 


4 


TICONDEROGA 


promontory  of  land  which  bore  the  resounding  Iroquois 
name  of  Ticonderoga,  or  "  meeting  of  waters,"  in  recog 
nition  of  the  fact  that  the  waters  of  Lakes  George  and 
Champlain  come  together  at  the  base  of  the  eminence. 
Here  they  met  a  flotilla  of  skin  canoes  bearing  a  large 
war  party  of  Iroquois  and  the  issue  of  this  little  trip  of 
Champlain's  may  now  be  said  to  have  been  fairly  joined. 
The  Iroquois,  not  being  much  given  to  fighting  on 
water,  paddled  to  land,  while  the  invaders  decided  to 
spend  the  night  in  their  canoes.  All  night  long  the  air 
resounded  with  yells  and  epithets  and  bandied  menaces, 
but,  at  length,  morning  broke  and  put  an  end  to  the 
unseemly  clamor.  The  Frenchmen  were  concealed  in 
the  bottoms  of  canoes  until  a  dramatic  moment  should 
arrive  to  show  themselves.  Their  companions  landed 
and  now  that  they  had  come  to  their  desire  were  filled 
with  terror  of  the  Iroquois,  calling  loudly  for  Cham- 
plain  to  come  forth  and  destroy  his  opponents  with 
thunder  and  lightning.  The  doughty  Frenchman,  feel 
ing  secure  in  his  armor  and  his  arms,  threw  aside  the 
skins  which  covered  him,  and  strode  forth  like  a  white 
god  in  shining  raiment.  The  gallant  Iroquois  were  filled 
with  consternation  at  the  sight  of  him.  Raising  his 
arquebus,  into  which  he  had  stuffed  four  balls,  he  fired 
at  short  range,  slaying  two  chiefs  and  wounding  one.  A 
second  shot  caused  the  defenders  to  break  and  flee,  and 
this  gave  Champlain's  allies  opportunity  to  kill  and  capt 
ure  to  their  hearts'  content. 

51 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


The  expedition  made  its  way  back  to  Quebec  filled 
with  exultation.  Thus  did  Ticonderoga  come  upon  the 
pages  of  history. 

This  engagement  of  Champlain's — incidental  as  it 
seems — had  far-reaching  consequences  in  the  destiny  of 
France  in  the  New  World.  By  the  slaughter  of  the 
Iroquois  Champlain  mortally  offended  the  Five  Na 
tions,  which  was  an  all-powerful  Indian  confederation, 
incurring  an  enmity  never  remitted.  The  alliance  of  the 
Long  House  with  the  English  was  one  of  the  factors  that 
helped  to  turn  the  scale  in  their  favor  in  the  long  contest 
for  balance  of  power  which  the  years  brought  about  be 
tween  France  and  England  in  the  New  World. 

On  this  very  same  day  of  July,  1609,  while  Cham- 
plain's  arquebus  was  frightening  the  solitudes  of  this 
leafy  part  of  the  wild  New  World,  a  little  vessel  known 
as  the  Half  Moon  was  in  anchor  on  the  New  England 
coast  while  the  carpenter  fitted  a  new  foremast.  A  few 
weeks  later  the  Half  Moon  was  in  the  Hudson  and  had 
come  to  anchor  above  present  Troy  in  the  precincts  over 
which  the  warriors  of  the  Long  House  kept  watch. 
Thus  does  the  Muse  of  History  play  different  parts 
with  two  hands. 

Time  passed  and  French  and  Indian  war  parties 
again  and  again  went  by  the  point  of  land  on  which 
Ticonderoga  now  stands,  bent  on  marauding  and  har 
rying  the  English  villages.  Lake  Champlain  and  Lake 
George  had  become  part  of  the  great  highway  between 

52 


TICONDEROGA 


French  world  and  English  world.  Finally,  in  1735, 
Crown  Point,  the  fore-runner  of  Ticonderoga,  was  es 
tablished  by  the  French  as  an  organized  centre  of  power 
and  an  outpost  thrown  toward  the  English.  Twenty 
years  after  this  Ticonderoga  came  into  prominence. 

The  year  1755  was  a  doleful  one  for  the  English 
colonies.  It  was  the  year  of  Braddock's  defeat.  In 
January,  Shirley,  governor  of  Massachusetts,  proposed 
an  attack  on  Crown  Point.  The  other  colonies  were 
taken  with  the  idea  and  raised  levies  of  men  and  funds. 
A  heterogeneous  army  was  the  result  under  the  leader 
ship  of  William  Johnson,  of  New  York,  with  the  rank 
of  Major-general,  separately  bestowed  upon  him  by 
each  of  the  colonies  taking  part.  His  selection  was  due 
not  only  to  his  immense  personal  popularity  but  to  his 
influence  in  the  Long  House  of  the  Five  Nations  as 
well,  no  other  white  man  of  his  time  having  so  much 
authority  with  the  dwellers  in  the  forest.  Of  white 
men  he  had  altogether  about  eight  thousand  and  he 
had  his  Indian  allies. 

That  in  an  army  which  included  men  from  Massa 
chusetts,  New  York,  Connecticut,  Rhode  Island  and 
New  Hampshire  there  should  be  some  bickering  and 
disagreements  was  inevitable,  but,  at  length,  the  column 
reached  the  foot  of  Lake  George,  which  had  become 
known  to  its  French  acquaintances  as  Lac  le  Sacrement. 
Now  it  received  a  new  baptism.  "  I  have  given  it  the 

53 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


name  of  Lake  George,"  wrote  Johnson  to  the  Lords 
of  Trade,  "  not  only  in  honor  of  His  Majesty  but  to 
ascertain  (assert)  his  undoubted  dominion  here."  Lake 
George  it  has  been  ever  since.  A  camp  was  made  where, 
after  a  time,  Fort  William  Henry  was  built,  and  a  most 
unmilitary  camp  it  was,  if  we  can  believe  the  accounts 
of  contemporaries.  Though  a  dense  forest  gave  cover 
for  an  enemy  to  its  very  borders,  no  effort  was  made 
to  clear  away  the  trees.  Painted  Indians  lounged 
around,  traders  squabbled  together,  and  New  England 
clergymen  preached  to  the  savages  long  Calvinistic 
sermons. 

Meanwhile  the  French  at  Crown  Point  were  prepar 
ing  a  surprise  for  Johnson.  Large  forces  under  the 
German  Baron  Dieskau  had  come  up,  and  Dieskau  had 
assumed  command  of  the  united  troops.  He  had  no 
thought  of  waiting  to  be  attacked.  He  told  his  men 
to  be  in  readiness  to  move  at  a  moment's  notice.  Officers 
were  to  take  nothing  with  them  but  one  spare  shirt, 
one  spare  pair  of  shoes,  a  blanket,  a  bearskin  and  pro 
visions  for  twelve  days.  The  Indians  were  to  make 
up  their  minds  not  to  take  scalps  until  the  enemy  had 
been  entirely  defeated,  because  the  operation  of  taking 
a  scalp  was  too  lengthy  a  proceeding,  and  kept  them 
from  killing  other  men.  Then  Dieskau  moved  on  to  a 
promontory  which  commanded  both  Lake  Champlain 
and  Lake  George.  It  was  a  high  wooden  mount  with 

54 


TICONDEROGA 


a  magnificent  view  of  the  waters;  in  short,  our  old 
friend  Ticonderoga. 

The  German  baron  for  a  time  made  camp  here,  the 
first  formal  military  occupation  of  this  point,  but  at 
length,  being  misinformed  by  an  American  prisoner, 
who  had  been  threatened  with  torture,  as  to  the  force 
Johnson  had,  he  prepared  to  move  in  haste  and  with 
deadly  intent  against  the  American  colonials.  News 
of  Braddock's  defeat  had  just  then  become  general  in 
formation,  and  throughout  the  ranks  of  the  ignorant 
white  men  of  the  French  party  and  of  all  their  savage 
allies  ran  an  unwarranted  contempt  for  English  bravery 
based  on  accounts  of  that  lamentable  massacre.  Dies- 
kau  left  a  part  of  his  force  at  Ticonderoga,  and  embark 
ing  with  the  rest  in  canoes  and  bateaux  made  his  way 
through  the  narrow  southern  part  of  Lake  Champlain 
to  where  the  town  of  Whitehall  now  stands,  a  point  at 
which  they  pitched  camp. 

The  close  of  the  next  day  found  them  well  on  toward 
Johnson  and  on  the  day  after  that  the  battle  of  Lake 
George  took  place.  It  is  unnecessary  to  go  into  detail 
about  this.  The  first  part  of  the  day  went  against  the 
Americans,  who  had  foolishly  sent  out  against  Dieskau, 
when  they  received  word  of  his  approach,  an  insufficient 
number  of  white  and  red  forces;  but  the  end  of  the 
day  found  the  Americans  victorious.  Dieskau  was 
badly  wounded  and  was  a  prisoner. 

The  story  goes  that  a  delegation  of  chiefs  waited 

55 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


upon  Johnson  while  Dieskau  was  in  his  cabin.  The 
unwilling  guest  made  some  comment  about  them  to  his 
host  after  their  departure.  '  Yes,  they  wish  to  be 
allowed  to  burn  you,"  was  the  response.  Johnson  took 
extraordinary  pains  that  the  French  leader  should  not 
fall  into  the  hands  of  his  savages,  and  Dieskau  died  a 
peaceful  death  as  a  result  of  his  wounds  several  years 
later,  midst  the  civilization  of  Bath,  England,  whence 
he  had  gone  in  hopes  of  being  benefited  by  the  waters. 

Johnson  commenced  now  to  build  Fort  William 
Henry  at  one  end  of  Lake  George,  and  the  French, 
quickly  recovering  from  their  set-back,  began  building 
at  the  other  end,  on  the  site  of  Dieskau's  camp,  the 
famous  Fort  Ticonderoga.  The  building  of  the  French 
fort  consumed  the  greater  part  of  1756  and  1757, 
and  was  consummated  under  the  reign,  in  Canada,  of 
Vaudreuil. 

The  original  plan  of  Fort  Ticonderoga  was  of  a 
bastion  fort,  but  afterwards  star-shaped  outer  walls, 
following  plans  of  the  great  Vauban,  were  added. 
The  French  built  solidly  in  their  various  military  works, 
and  Fort  Ticonderoga  was  an  enduring  and  strong 
construction. 

We  have  seen  Fort  William  Henry  and  Fort  Ti 
conderoga  started  as  rivals.  The  survivor  of  these  two 
was  Ticonderoga,  and  the  destruction  of  Fort  William 
Henry  was  the  occasion  of  one  of  the  saddest  and  most 
horrible  massacres  in  American  history.  In  1757  the 

56 


TICONDEROGA 


Marquis  de  Montcalm,  chief  of  the  French  king's  forces 
in  Canada,  was  at  Ticonderoga  and  with  him  was  the 
Chevalier  de  Levis  with  about  eight  thousand  regulars, 
Canadians  and  Indians.  The  troopers  and  the  irregular 
forces  were  camped  around  the  walls  of  Ticonderoga 
near  the  lake  and  in  the  rear  of  the  fort  where  the  emi 
nence  of  land  on  which  the  fort  stands  continues  in  a 
gentle  plateau  before  commencing  its  descent.  A  color 
ful,  picturesque  camp  it  was,  with  its  red  Indians,  its 
half-breed  whites,  and  its  careless  soldiery.  The  officers 
and  gentlemen  of  consequence  were  lodged  in  the  fort 
where  they  ate  in  the  mess  hall  and  lounged  and  smoked 
and  drank  at  leisure. 

With  his  eight  thousand  men  Montcalm  set  forth 
on  the  first  of  August,  1757,  across  the  little  neck  of 
land  which  divides  Lake  Champlain  from  Lake  George, 
leaving  a  small  detachment  to  hold  the  fort,  and  made 
his  way  along  Lake  George  to  near  Fort  William 
Henry.  His  Britannic  Majesty's  stronghold  was  solidly 
built  and  was  in  command  of  a  capable  officer,  Lieuten 
ant  Colonel  Munro,  a  brave  Scotchman,  but  its  gar 
rison  was  insufficient,  and  reinforcements  were  never 
sent.  Montcalm  attacked. 

So  well  did  the  little  band  of  beleaguered  men  con 
test  their  position,  that  when  inevitably  they  surrendered 
very  favorable  terms  were  offered.  It  was  agreed  that 
the  English  troops  should  march  out  with  the  honors  of 
war  and  be  escorted  to  Fort  Edward  by  a  detachment 

57 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


of  French  troops ;  that  they  should  not  serve  for  eighteen 
months,  and  that  all  French  prisoners  captured  in 
America  since  the  war  began  should  be  given  up  within 
three  months.  The  stores,  munitions,  and  artillery  were 
to  be  the  prize  of  the  victors,  except  that  the  garrison, 
in  recognition  of  its  bravery,  was  to  retain  one  field- 
piece.  The  Indian  chiefs  were  consulted  in  the  making 
of  these  terms  and  agreed  to  them  by  shaking  of  the 
hands. 

When  the  capitulation  took  place,  a  scene  very  dif 
ferent  from  that  which  had  been  anticipated  was  to  be 
viewed.  The  Indians,  excited  by  the  presence  of  so 
many  captives,  as  they  considered  the  English  prisoners 
of  war,  were  not  to  be  restrained  and,  though  measures 
were  taken  to  hold  them  in  rein,  fell  upon  the  helpless 
men  and  women  and  butchered  them  mercilessly. 

The  morning  after  the  massacre  soldiers  were  set  to 
work  destroying  all  that  remained  of  Fort  William 
Henry. 

The  year  that  followed  the  massacre — 1758 — 
brought  the  most  formidable  looking  and  least  effective 
of  all  of  the  attacks  against  Ticonderoga.  The  English, 
thoroughly  incensed  at  the  loss  of  Fort  William  Henry, 
had  set  themselves  with  determination  to  destroy  Ti 
conderoga  and  to  this  end  had  raised  a  great  force  of 
regular  soldiery,  provincial  militia  and  those  invaluable 
irregular  border  troops  of  which  Roger's  rangers  are 
a  good  example,  and  had  placed  them  under  the  com- 

58 


TICONDEROGA 


mand  of  General  Abercrombie.  The  whole  body  lay 
encamped  in  June,  1758,  at  the  head  of  Lake  George, 
within  easy  striking  distance  of  the  terrible  French 
stronghold.  It  numbered  nearly  fifteen  thousand  men, 
all  told.  Montcalm's  forces  were  not  one-fourth  so 
numerous  and  the  great  French  leader  was  sadly  sure 
of  disaster  to  himself  and  his  men. 

That  disaster  did  not,  indeed,  fall  upon  the  French 
as  the  outcome  of  this  undertaking  on  the  part  of  the 
British  is  to  be  ascribed  primarily  to  the  unfortunate 
choice  of  a  leader  which  they  had  had  made  for  them 
and  to  Providence,  which  early  in  the  campaign  re 
moved  from  their  midst  the  only  military  talent  which 
they  seem  to  have  possessed.  Abercrombie  was  a  politi 
cal  heritage  of  corrupt  powers  in  England,  where  the 
government  had  undergone  a  great  reconstruction  since 
the  horrors  of  Fort  William  Henry,  and  had  been  kept 
in  authority  solely  on  account  of  pressure  which  could 
be  brought  to  bear  at  home.  Lord  Pitt  had  appointed 
as  second  in  command  of  the  expedition  one  of  the  few 
military  geniuses  of  his  age, — as  all  of  his  contempo 
raries  admitted, — the  young  Lord  Howe,  elder  brother 
of  the  more  famous  Sir  William  Howe,  who  later  com 
manded  His  Majesty's  forces  in  America  against  the 
rebellious  colonies.  "  The  noblest  Englishman  that  has 
appeared  in  my  time  and  the  best  soldier  in  the  British 
army,"  said  Wolfe,  of  him.  In  a  minor  skirmish  at 
the  very  first  of  the  reconnoitring  around  Ticonderoga 

59 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


he  was  killed  by  an  Indian's  bullet,  and  the  English 
troops  were  left  to  flounder  on  from  one  blunder  to 
another. 

The  last  part  of  the  march  against  Ticonderoga  was 
commenced  on  the  morning  of  July  4  and  by  July  6 
the  soldiers  were  at  the  head  of  Lake  George  and  in 
touch  with  the  enemy  in  Ticonderoga  just  over  a  ridge 
of  woods. 

The  ridge  of  land  on  which  Ticonderoga  is  situated 
continues  northwest  without  the  sharp  decline  that 
marks  its  topography  in  every  other  direction.  Along 
this  spine,  then,  the  English  attack  might  be  expected, 
so  in  this  quarter  Montcalm  had  had  barriers  built  of 
fallen  trees,  laid  together  so  as  to  form  a  zig-zag  parapet 
nine  feet  in  height  and  with  a  platform  behind,  from 
which  the  French  soldiers  might  shoot  without  exposing 
themselves.  Along  the  entire  front  of  this  barricade 
the  ground  was  strewn  with  sharp-pointed  boughs. 
Obviously  it  was  not  a  position  that  infantry  could 
take  without  the  aid  of  artillery. 

Yet,  under  Abercrombie's  command,  the  English 
advanced  against  this  work  without  waiting  for  the 
cannon  which  they  had  with  them  to  be  brought  up. 
Between  noon  and  nightfall  of  July  7  they  made  six 
gallant  assaults  without  result.  A  perfect  hades  of 
shot  and  flame  those  logs  became.  The  scene  has  been 
described  by  one  of  Roger's  rangers  who  took  part  in 
the  action,  and  his  description,  found  in  an  old  letter, 

60 


TICONDEROGA 


was  published  a  decade  ago  in  Harper's  Magazine,  by 
one  of  his  descendants.  "  The  maze  of  fallen  trees  with 
their  withered  leaves  hanging  broke  their  ranks  and  the 
French  Retrenchment  blazed  fire  and  death  "  he  wrote. 
"  They  advanced  bravely  up  but  all  to  no  good  purpose 
and  hundreds  there  met  their  death.  My  dear  Joseph 
I  have  the  will  but  not  the  way  to  tell  you  all  that  I 
saw  that  awful  afternoon.  I  have  since  been  in  many 
battles  and  skirmishes  but  I  have  never  witnessed  such 
slaughter  and  such  wild  fighting  as  the  British  storm 
of  Ticonderoga.  We  became  mixed  up — Highlanders, 
Grenadiers,  Light  Troops,  Rangers  and  all,  and  we 
beat  against  that  mass  of  logs  and  maze  of  fallen  timber 
and  we  beat  in  vain.  I  was  once  carried  right  up  to 
the  breastwork,  but  we  were  stopped  by  the  bristling 
mass  of  sharpened  branches,  while  the  French  fire  swept 
us  front  and  flank.  The  ground  was  covered  deep  with 
dying  men  and,  as  J  think  it  over  now,  I  can  remember 
nothing  but  the  fruit  bourne  by  the  tree  of  war,  for  I 
looked  upon  so  many  wondrous  things  that  July  day 
that  I  could  not  set  them  downe  at  all.  We  drew  off 
after  seeing  that  no  human  valour  could  take  that  work. 
We  Rangers  then  skirmished  with  the  French  colony 
troops  and  the  Canada  Indians  until  dark  while  our 
people  rescued  the  wounded,  and  then  we  fell  back.  The 
Army  was  utterly  demoralized  and  made  a  headlong 
retreat  during  which  many  wounded  men  were  left  to 
die  in  the  woods." 

61 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


On  the  day  following  his  victory  Montcalm  had  a 
great  cross  planted  in  the  battle-field  bearing  words, 
composed  by  himself,  which  have  been  translated  by 
Parkman  as  follows: 

Soldier  and  chief  and  rampart's  strength  are  nought ; 
Behold  the  Conquering  Cross !   'Tis  God  the  triumph  wrought. 

The  old  fort  was  to  fall  into  English  hands  the  next 
year,  however,  when  Amherst,  commander-in-chief  of 
the  English  forces  in  America,  advanced  against  it  with 
a  force  of  British  and  Americans.  Montcalm  had  hur 
ried  to  the  defence  of  Quebec  with  the  greater  part  of 
his  force  and  Ticonderoga  was  in  the  command  of 
Boulemarque,  a  capable  officer,  but  one  no  more  able 
than  any  other  man  to  accomplish  the  impossible.  He 
could  not  hold  the  position  with  the  inconsiderable  force 
he  had  against  that  opposed  to  him.  A  stroke  of  Provi 
dence  was  not  to  be  anticipated  a  second  time.  So, 
while  the  British  encamped  under  the  walls  of  the  fort 
prepared  to  attack  it  the  next  day,  Boulemarque  set  a 
fuse  to  the  powder  magazine  and  marched  his  men  out. 
There  was  a  great  explosion  and  a  rending  of  walls, 
and  Ticonderoga's  besiegers  knew  that  the  fort  was 
their  prize. 

Through  the  rest  of  the  French  and  Indian  War, 
which  was  from  this  time  forward  a  tale  of  uninter 
rupted  success  for  the  British  arms,  Ticonderoga  played 
no  part  except  that  of  a  garrisoned  English  possession. 

62 


The  Mess  Hall 


A  Council  Room 
INTERIOR  VIEWS  OF  FORT  TICONDEROGA,  N.  Y 


TICONDEROGA 


Its  walls  were  repaired  where  Boulemarque's  match 
had  shattered  them. 

The  prestige  of  the  fort  had  now  become  such  that 
in  the  fermenting  first  days  of  the  outbreak  in  the 
colonies  against  the  Mother  Country  it  was  conceived 
that  the  seizure  of  the  place  would  have  an  immense 
moral  effect  in  the  colonies.  A  sturdy  Vermont  man, 
Ethan  Allen,  with  his  Green  Mountain  boys,  was  given 
the  task  of  seizing  it.  In  early  spring,  1775,  Allen  ap 
proached  the  old  Indian  stronghold  now  held  by  merely 
a  handful  of  British,  who  had  no  idea  that  the  Americans 
were  in  action  against  them.  One  cannot  depreciate  the 
tenacity  of  purpose  and  hardiness  which  carried  Ethan 
Allen  and  his  men  through  the  inhospitable  wilderness  to 
success  in  their  enterprise,  but  the  military  valor  of  the 
action  was  not  great.  With  his  men  Allen  crept  up  to 
the  unsuspecting  stronghold,  seized  the  sentry,  and, 
while  his  men  scattered  through  the  fort  making  pris 
oners  of  its  inmates,  thundered  at  the  door  of  the  com 
manding  officer:  "  Open  in  the  name  of  the  Great 
Jehovah  and  the  Continental  Congress."  While  know 
ing  little  of  the  Continental  Congress,  the  officer  sub 
mitted  to  the  inevitable. 

The  news  of  Allen's  exploit  was  spread  through  the 
colonies  and  was  a  determining  influence  with  many 
undecided  Americans.  His  resounding  phrase  has  been 
repeated  by  school-boys  many  times  since  and  is  per 
haps  more  familiarly  associated  with  the  name  of  Ti 
es 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


conderoga  than  any  of  the  great  exploits  which  have 
marked  its  past. 

For  a  time  the  Americans  held  on  to  the  fort.  In 
1776  a  large  force  was  concentrated  here,  since  it 
guarded  that  very  vital  means  of  access  to  the  heart 
of  the  colonies  which  the  British  persistently  tried  to 
make  use  of.  It  was  from  this  point  that  in  1776 
Benedict  Arnold  set  forth  with  a  small  fleet  of  vessels 
to  attack  Sir  Guy  Carleton  at  Valcour  Island.  Though 
the  American  fleet  was  almost  entirely  destroyed,  it, 
nevertheless,  set  back  the  plans  of  the  British  one  year 
and  delayed  their  projected  invasion  from  the  north 
that  long. 

In  1777  Burgoyne  invested  the  fort  and,  by  dragging 
some  guns  to  the  top  of  Mount  Defiance,  an  eminence 
which  commands  Ticonderoga,  caused  General  Arthur 
St.  Clair  of  the  American  forces  to  evacuate  the  place. 
Burgoyne  occupied  the  fort  for  a  passing  visit  but  was 
soon  on  his  way  into  the  colonies  by  the  ancient  trail 
which  war  parties  for  generations  had  trod,  fortunately, 
for  the  colonies,  to  meet  defeat  and  loss  of  his  army  at 
the  battle  of  Saratoga. 

The  fort  remained  in  the  hands  of  the  British  until 
after  the  surrender  of  Yorktown,  though  Colonel  Brown 
of  Massachusetts  made  a  brave  effort  to  take  it  once 
more.  During  the  War  of  1812  it  listened  to  the  guns 
of  McDonough's  improvised  fleet  in  action  with  the 

64 


TICONDEROGA 


British,  but  it  had  no  active  part  in  this  action  or  in  this 
war,  itself. 

In  1806  the  property  on  which  the  old  fort  stands 
was  leased  from  Union  and  Columbia  colleges  by 
William  F.  Pell  of  New  York,  it  being  a  part  of  a  State 
grant  to  these  institutions.  Mr.  Pell  built  a  summer 
cottage  for  himself  and,  in  1816,  purchased  the  land. 
The  cottage  was  destroyed  in  1825  and  a  second  build 
ing  known  as  the  Pavilion  was  erected.  The  Pavilion 
is  still  in  use  and  has  never  been  out  of  the  Pell  family. 

The  walls  of  Ticonderoga,  the  fort,  were  not  greatly 
prized  by  the  early  holders  of  this  Pell  tract  and  it 
remained  for  the  present  head  of  his  generation, 
Mr.  Stephen  H.  P.  Pell,  to  appreciate  the  historic  value 
of  the  old  place  and  to  set  about  a  work  of  restoration 
and  repair.  The  foundations  of  the  walls  were  still 
solid  and  some  of  the  old  buildings  were  still  standing 
when,  in  1909,  Mr.  Pell  began  his  work  of  rebuilding. 
The  original  plans  of  the  fort  were  secured  from  the 
French  government.  The  work  of  rehabilitation  has 
been  carried  forward  in  strict  accordance  with  author 
ities.  Historic  points  in  the  grounds  surrounding  the 
fort  have  been  marked  with  tablets  and  monuments  and 
each  year  sees  an  increasing  number  of  visitors  coming 
to  Ticonderoga  to  inspect  this  history-filled  place. 


CROWN  POINT 

LAKE  CHAMPLAIN— NEW  YORK 


T  would  be  hard,  gazing  upon 
Crown  Point  to-day,  to  realize  the 
storms  and  terrors  it  let  loose  upon 
the  English  colonists  not  quite 
two  hundred  years  ago.  Girt  by 

^__ the    smiling    waters    of    one    of 

America's  most  beautiful  lakes, 
overtopped  by  a  verdant  mountain,  and  gazing  out 
upon  green  fields  in  the  shade  of  majestic  woodlands, 
all  of  the  atmosphere  of  the  place  is  one  of  peace  and 
aloofness  from  the  pain  of  human  suffering.  Yet 
the  name  "  Crown  Point "  was  a  sinister  thing  in  the 
early  days  of  the  English  colonists,  particularly  in 
the  northern  provinces.  The  New  England  matron 
putting  to  bed  her  infant  Stephen  Brewster  or  little 
Praise-the-Lord  Jones,  or  the  Dutch  vrouw  in  the 
country  round  about  Albany  with  her  little  Van 
Rensselaer  Tasselwitch,  had  but  to  utter  this  dreadful 
name,  "  Crown  Point,"  to  bring  her  child  into  the 
most  docile  state  of  apprehension.  From  Crown  Point 
went  forth  the  scalping  parties  of  French,  Indian  and 
half-breeds,  which  preyed  upon  the  borders  of  the  Eng 
lish  colonies,  carrying  wrack  and  horror  wherever  they 
went.  A  glad  and  beautiful  place,  it  nourished  in  its 
heart  an  evil  spirit. 

The  settlement  of  the  Crown  Point  district  by  the 

66 


Where  the  flag  flew 


The  Ruined  Barracks 
CROWN  POINT,  N.  Y.,  IN  DEAD  OF  WINTER 


CROWN  POINT 


French  began  soon  after  the  opening  of  the  eighteenth 
century.  The  beautiful  lake  which  bears  the  name  of 
its  discoverer  had  been  known  in  France  for  more  than 
a  century,  and  the  country  which  lay  between  Lake 
Champlain  and  Lake  Ontario — all  that  wilderness 
stretch  of  northern  New  York  of  to-day — had  been 
charted  with  a  fair  degree  of  exactness,  as  well.  The 
riches  of  the  region  were  well  sensed.  Accordingly,  a 
large  and  important  province  was  planned  by  the 
French  political  geographers  whose  eastern  boundary 
should  be  the  Connecticut  and  whose  western  boundary 
should  be  Lake  Ontario.  North  was  the  St.  Lawrence 
River,  and  the  southern  confine  was  rather  misty,  ex 
cept  that  it  was  determined  that  it  should  be  all  that 
could  be  kept  from  the  English.  The  metropolis  and 
capital  of  this  fine  project  was  to  be  a  place  situated 
at  that  peculiar  bend  in  Lake  Champlain  where  there 
was  a  projecting  tongue  of  land,  making  a  fine  site 
for  settlement,  fortification  and  development.  In  other 
words,  it  was  to  be  Crown  Point,  or  Pointe  de  Couronne, 
as  the  French  had  it.  A  body  of  settlers  was  sent  over 
about  1729,  and  in  1731  a  fortification  was  commenced 
at  the  tip  of  the  Crown  Point  peninsula  which  was 
named  Fort  Saint  Frederic.  The  remains  of  this  forti 
fication  are  barely  visible  on  the  lake  side  of  the  point 
to-day  near  the  Champlain  Memorial  light-house.  And 
now  a  few  words  as  to  the  geography  of  this  part  of 
Lake  Champlain. 

67 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


The  lake,  as  all  know,  is  a  long,  narrow  tongue  of 
water.  About  mid-way  down  it  is  constricted  to  even 
more  than  its  usual  slender  width  ("slender"  as  pro 
portioned  to  the  length)  and  the  water  is  carried  off  at 
a  sharp  angle  to  the  east.  Just  before  the  constriction, 
however,  there  is  a  protuberance,  and  on  the  west  shore 
of  this  protuberance,  or  bay,  there  stands  to-day  the 
thriving  little  foundry  town  of  Port  Henry.  Directly 
across  the  water  from  Port  Henry,  and  at  the  point 
where  the  lake  makes  a  sharp  bend  to  the  east,  is  a 
long,  narrow  point  of  land,  and  this  is  Crown  Point. 
Crown  Point  has  water  on  two  sides  of  it.  Though 
only  a  short  distance  from  Port  Henry  by  boat,  it  is 
quite  a  long  distance  by  land,  for,  then,  one  must  drive 
down  to  the  base  of  the  peninsula  and  work  out  to  the 
point  along  the  five-mile  extent  of  the  peninsula.  The  lake 
on  the  east  side  of  Crown  Point  peninsula  is  so  narrow 
that  a  cannon  could  easily  fire  across  it.  Behind  Port 
Henry,  that  is,  on  the  west  side  of  the  lake,  is  a  precipi 
tous  mountain-side.  The  Point,  therefore,  was  well 
protected  in  the  days  when  cannon  were  with  difficulty 
to  be  found  in  America  and  when  they  could  not  be 
transported  easily  through  the  wilderness  of  the  New 
World.  It  could  only  be  approached  by  water  or  by 
the  long,  narrow  strip  of  land  which  joined  it  with  the 
mainland,  and  either  one  of  these  approaches  it  could 
master  very  easily. 

The  first  fort  on  Crown  Point,  Fort  Saint  Frederic, 


CROWN  POINT 


was  a  little  five-pointed  star-shaped  fort.  Though  small 
in  size,  it  played  a  far  larger  part  in  events  than  the 
mighty  successor  which  the  years  brought  and  which 
we  shall  presently  come  to.  Fort  Saint  Frederic  was 
for  twenty-five  years  the  only  French  stronghold  in 
this  part  of  the  world.  In  1756  Ticonderoga  was  begun. 
In  the  council-rooms  of  old  Saint  Frederic  what  strange 
visitors  might  have  been  seen,  what  bizarre  juxtaposi 
tions  of  Old  World  and  New,  of  sophistication  and 
savagery!  During  all  of  its  life  the  little  fort  was  a 
rendezvous  for  Indians.  Here,  too,  the  Baron  Dieskau 
made  himself  at  home  before  setting  out  on  the  expedi 
tion,  unfortunate  for  himself,  against  Johnson  on  Lake 
George.  Here  might  have  been  seen  Montcalm  and 
other  of  the  mightiest  and  craftiest  warriors  of  old 
France  in  the  new. 

Except  as  a  centre  for  Indians  and  a  council  hall 
for  white  and  red,  the  little  fort  did  not  ever  take  part 
in  fighting.  When  the  English  finally  advanced  in 
force  against  the  strongholds  on  Lake  Champlain, 
Ticonderoga  was  the  point  which  bore  the  brunt  of  the 
onslaughts.  First,  Johnson  came  against  these  two 
hornet  nests  of  French  and  Indians  and  accomplished 
little.  Then  Abercrombie  made  his  futile  and  disgrace 
ful  try  ("Mother  Nabercrombie  "  he  was  long  after 
ward  known  in  the  colonies).  Finally  the  two  forts 
fell  before  the  large  force  which  Amherst,  in  1757, 
brought  against  them  and  as  a  result  of  the  need  of  men 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


at  Quebec  which  had  depleted  their  strength  beyond  the 
power  of  resistance.  Fort  Saint  Frederic,  like  Ticon- 
deroga,  was  deserted  without  a  shot  being  fired,  though 
its  departing  commander  tried  to  destroy  it  by  fusing 
the  magazines. 

Under  the  British  the  old  French  fort  was  dis 
mantled  and  allowed  to  fall  into  decay.  So  well  did  the 
situation  of  Crown  Point  appeal  to  the  British,  how 
ever,  as  a  place  of  fortification  and  so  important  was  a 
hold  upon  Lake  Champlain  deemed,  that  the  British 
began  the  construction  of  a  massive  fortress,  on  the 
most  approved  model,  which  was  completed  as  far  as  it 
was  ever  carried  within  the  course  of  a  few  years  after 
Amherst's  occupation  of  the  point  and  which  cost  ten 
millions  of  dollars.  This  is  an  outlay  which  would  be 
large  even  to-day.  The  jagged  ruins  of  the  walls  of 
this  fort,  which  never  fired  a  shot  in  anger,  are  what  one 
sees  now  on  Crown  Point  when  paying  the  old  place  a 
visit. 

When  Ethan  Allen  took  Ticonderoga  with  his 
Green  Mountain  boys,  Crown  Point  also  fell  to  the 
Americans  without  resistance.  It  came  passively  into 
English  hands  again  and  after  the  Revolution  was 
allowed  to  fall  into  decay. 

Not  far  from  the  remains  of  Crown  Point  fort  is  the 
beautiful  and  large  monument  to  Samuel  Champlain, 
known  as  the  Champlain  Memorial.  It  takes  the  form 
of  a  light-house  and  is  most  solidly  and  durably  con- 

70 


CROWN  POINT 


structed.  Erected  through  the  joint  subscription  of  the 
States  of  Vermont  and  New  York,  the  monument  is, 
as  well,  a  tribute  to  public  spirit.  In  character  the 
light-house  is  memorial  of  the  past  rather  than  symbolic 
of  the  future;  a  heroic  statue  in  bronze  of  Champlain 
faces  the  east  and  at  the  base  of  the  statue  is  Rodin's 
"  La  France,"  presented  to  the  States  of  New  York 
and  Vermont  for  this  undertaking  by  France. 


THE  HEIGHTS  OF  QUEBEC 

(THE  CITADEL,  CASTLE  ST.  LOUIS) 


CANADA 


HAT  hardy  mariner,  Jacques 
Cartier,  sailed  up  the  St.  Law 
rence  River  in  1535,  but  it  was 
not  until  1608,  when  Cham- 
plain's  vessel  brought  the  first 
permanent  colonists  of  New 
France,  that  Quebec  was 
founded.  The  storm-tossed  little  caravel  entered  the 
St.  Lawrence  in  the  early  summer  of  that  year.  Cham- 
plain  landed  his  miscellaneous  following,  built  "L'Habi- 
tation,"  as  he  named  the  first  official  residence  in 
Quebec,  and  laid  the  foundations  of  a  small  fort,  an 
act  portentous  of  the  stirring  events  which  the  future 
held  calmly  waiting  their  turn  and  which  were  to  give 
Quebec  so  conspicuous  a  place  in  the  military  annals  of 
the  New  World. 

The  first  fortifications  were  little  more  than  gun 
platforms  placed  at  an  advantageous  position  so  as 
to  command  the  river.  Their  site  became  the  location 
of  Castle  St.  Louis  and  is  to-day  the  eastern  end  of  the 
Dufferin  Terrace.  So  it  is  easy  to  remember  where 
Champlain  laid  the  foundations  of  the  new  city. 

The  new  seat  of  power  was  shortly  to  see  its  master 
exerting  his  authority  in  a  way  not  to  be  lightly  mis 
taken.  Treachery  was  plotted  by  some  among  Cham- 

72 


THE  HEIGHTS  OF  QUEBEC 


plain's  followers,  who  planned  to  assassinate  their  chief 
and  sell  his  new  city  to  the  Spaniards.  News  of  this 
move  was  brought  to  Champlain's  ears.  He  caused  the 
ringleaders  to  be  seized  by  his  soldiers  and  hung  in  the 
fort  until  dead.  In  this  fashion  the  stronghold  saw  its 
first  acts  of  violence.  Scurvy  marked  the  passage  of 
the  first  winter  in  the  New  World  of  the  little  fort's 
defenders,  and  by  the  spring  only  the  most  hardy  were 
alive. 

The  years  which  came  between  1608  and  1629,  the 
date  of  the  first  formal  siege  of  Quebec,  brought 
enlargement  and  strength  to  both  the  fort  and  the  city. 
During  this  period  both  had  been  frequently  surrounded 
by  hostile  Indians,  who  feared  the  white  man's  guns 
too  much  to  attempt  an  attack  by  storm  but  who  prowled 
around  beneath  the  very  ramparts  of  the  fort  seeking 
for  unwary  adventurers  who  might  be  without  the  gates. 
The  control  of  the  little  colony  in  France  had  passed 
through  various  hands,  but  always  the  chief  executive 
in  the  New  World  had  been  its  founder,  the  rugged 
Champlain.  The  year  1629  finds  the  little  colony  in 
the  possession  of  the  Company  of  the  100  Associates,  an 
organization  founded  by  His  Excellency,  Cardinal 
Richelieu,  and  of  which  His  Eminence  was  himself  a 
member,  and  the  winter  of  this  year  finds  the  colony 
in  its  usual  desperate  straits,  beleaguered  by  winter  and 
by  savage  foe  and  deserted  in  all  but  name  by  its 
sponsors  in  France. 

73 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


In  the  spring  of  1629  the  inhabitants  of  Quebec 
were  gladdened  by  the  intelligence  that  a  fleet  had  been 
discerned  from  Cap  Tourmente  in  the  mouth  of  the 
river  and  that  it  was  even  then  approaching  the  city. 
It  was  supposed  that  this  was  the  long- wished- for  squad 
ron  of  relief  ships  and  that  all  would  be  prosperity  and 
good  cheer  in  the  town  for  a  time  now.  The  citizens 
assembled  on  the  walls  of  the  fort  to  descry  the  distant 
sail,  when  word  was  brought  by  a  friendly  Indian  that 
the  looked-for  vessels,  far  from  being  messengers  of 
peace,  were,  in  fact,  emissaries  of  war;  that  they  were 
English,  and  that  they  had  just  burned  and  pillaged  a 
fishing  village  in  a  care- free,  happy-go-lucky  fashion  on 
the  way  up  the  river.  War  had  been  declared  between 
England  and  France  and  Quebec  had  not  received  word 
of  it !  Joy  was  changed  to  woe. 

The  next  day  emissaries  arrived  from  Sir  David 
Kirke,  the  English  admiral  in  command  of  the  fleet, 
demanding  the  surrender  of  the  town  and  the  fort,  but 
Champlain,  believing  that  help  would  soon  arrive  from 
France  and  not  being  of  the  temper,  anyhow,  which 
quickly  gives  up,  turned  these  messengers  away  with 
words  of  defiance.  The  first  siege  of  Quebec  was  now 
begun. 

To  tell  the  truth  it  was  an  informal  sort  of  matter, 
anyhow,  this  first  siege  of  Quebec.  The  English  vessels 
pounded  away  at  the  town  for  a  day  or  two  in  a  casual 
fashion  and  then  drifted  down  the  river.  The  French, 

74 


THE  HEIGHTS  OF  QUEBEC 


on  their  part,  had  but  fifty  pounds  of  powder  and  were 
very  careful  about  wasting  any  of  this.  Time  passed 
and  still  no  aid  came  from  distant  France.  At  length 
the  intelligence  which  Champlain  had  been  dreading  was 
brought  to  him.  The  long-awaited  French  relief  ships 
had  entered  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Lawrence  only  to  be 
overcome  and  seized  by  the  English  blockader.  Hope 
had  now  departed,  and  when,  in  July,  three  English 
ships  sailed  up  to  the  town,  Champlain  and  his  sixteen 
soldiers  watched  them  apathetically  because  they  knew 
that  they,  themselves,  could  do  no  more.  Quebec  was 
surrendered  to  the  English  and  on  July  20,  1629,  the 
English  flag  for  the  first  time  flew  over  the  little  settle 
ment.  Said  one  of  Kirke's  captains:  "  There  was  not 
in  the  sayde  forte  at  the  tyme  of  the  rendition  of  the 
same,  to  this  examinate's  knowledge,  any  victuals  save 
only  one  tubb  of  bitter  roots." 

It  was  not  until  1632  that  Quebec  was  restored  to 
the  French  by  the  treaty  of  St.  Germain-en-Laye,  and 
during  its  three  years  of  English  occupancy  the  point 
had  made  no  progress.  The  Indians  did  not  like  their 
rough,  new  associates  and  trade  had  languished.  Even 
the  fort  was  in  sad  condition. 

The  summer  of  1632  saw  the  little  settlement  in 
French  hands  and  under  the  guidance  of  Emery  de 
Caen,  a  fiery  French  Huguenot.  The  next  year  found 
the  colony  once  more  in  the  direction  of  the  veteran 
Champlain.  It  is  not  clear  why  de  Caen  was  given 

75 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


power  for  this  one  year.  On  Christmas  Day,  1635,  the 
Father  of  New  France  passed  peacefully  away  in  the 
fort  which  had  seen  so  many  of  his  earthly  activities. 
His  body  was  laid  to  rest  in  a  "  chambre  particulier," 
according  to  old  record.  Late  investigation  inclines  to 
the  belief  that  Champlain's  last  resting  place  was  a 
niche  hollowed  out  of  the  stone  half  way  down  Mountain 
Hill  in  full  view  of  the  strand  on  which  his  early 
"  Habitation  "  was  built. 

The  successor  of  Champlain,  M.  de  Montmagny,  a 
Knight  of  Malta,  rebuilt  of  stone  Champlain's  fort 
shortly  after  his  arrival  in  1636,  and  Castle  St.  Louis 
had  now  a  most  martial  appearance.  Close  to  the  castle 
was  the  Jesuit  presbytery,  this  close  conjunction  of 
church  and  Mars  well  typifying  the  union  of  powers 
which  held  authority  in  the  colony.  All  public  functions 
were  religious  in  character  and  the  black-robed  priests 
held  the  balance  of  power  in  the  council-room. 

Throughout  the  quarter  century  following  Cham- 
plain's  death  the  threat  of  Iroquois  marauding  hung 
over  the  little  city  and  in  1660  Castle  St.  Louis  wit 
nessed  a  strange  spectacle.  It  was  the  burning  at  the 
stake  by  the  French  of  an  Iroquois  captive  as  a  retalia 
tion  against  the  savages  for  their  outrages.  The  Indian 
met  his  fate  with  fortitude,  but  reviled  his  captors  un 
ceasingly  and  predicted  a  dire  future  for  the  city.  At 
length  death  put  an  end  to  his  sufferings  and  his  pre 
dictions.  His  spirit,  according  to  the  priests  who  were 

76 


THE  HEIGHTS  OF  QUEBEC 


standing  by,  winged  its  way  to  the  place  of  the  re 
deemed,  having  been  freed  from  sin  by  the  fiery  ordeal 
through  which  its  body  had  passed. 

Time  went  its  way  and  brought  the  second  siege  of 
Quebec  to  Castle  St.  Louis.  The  bold  and  impetuous 
Frontenac  was  now  at  the  helm  of  state  and  it  was  due 
to  a  three-headed  expedition  of  his  against  the  English 
colonies  that  this  second  siege  was  brought  about.  In 
cidentally,  this  expedition  may  be  looked  upon  in 
another  light  as  the  opening  blow  in  that  long  struggle 
between  New  France  and  New  England  which  was  to 
result  in  the  extinguishing  of  the  latter  power  in  the 
New  World.  Three  war  parties  set  out  from  the  forti 
fications  at  Quebec,  Montreal  and  Three  Rivers.  The 
first  reached  the  Dutch  settlement  of  Corlaer  (Sche- 
nectady)  on  the  Hudson  and  brought  about  the  horrible 
and  historic  Schenectady  massacre.  In  similar  fashion 
the  other  parties  fell  upon  towns  in  New  England.  The 
northern  English  colonies  which  had  hitherto  been  kept 
asunder  by  jealousies  united  against  a  common  foe  and 
equipped  an  expedition  which  was  to  set  forth  from 
Massachusetts  against  Quebec. 

The  vessels  of  the  fleet  consisted  of  thirty-two  ships 
ranging  in  size  from  the  Six  Friends,  a  roisterer  of  the 
seas  which  had  been  engaged  in  the  dangerous  West 
India  trade,  and  mounted  forty-four  guns,  to  humble 
fishing  smacks.  The  commander  was  William  Phips, 
afterward  Sir  William  Phips,  a  strange  favorite  of 

77 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


Fortune  whose  adventurous  and  large-fisted  career 
carried  him  through  gold-seeking  in  the  Spanish  Main, 
knighthood  from  the  British  Crown,  and  the  gover 
norship,  by  royal  appointment,  of  Massachusetts. 
Volunteers  were  called  for  and  nearly  four  thousand 
men  responded  to  the  call.  Provisions  were  laid  in 
for  four  months  and  all  was  ready  for  the  start. 

After  waiting  so  long  in  Boston  for  help  from  Eng 
land  that  winter  was  almost  at  hand,  Sir  William  at 
length  gave  the  order  to  sail  and  the  New  England 
armada  was  launched  upon  its  career.  Its  only  lacks 
were  a  pilot  who  knew  the  St.  Lawrence  River,  a 
sufficiency  of  gunpowder  and  a  commander  competent 
to  direct  the  expedition.  The  eventual  failure  of  the 
undertaking  was  not  hard  to  forecast. 

The  fleet  anchored  a  little  below  Quebec  in  the 
autumn  of  1690.  Frontenac  was  ready  and  waiting  for 
it.  A  messenger  was  sent  from  the  fleet  to  the  French 
governor  demanding  surrender.  He  was  taken  in  a 
canoe  to  the  landing  place  and  blindfolded.  Then  he 
was  directed  up  the  steep  streets  and  crooked  stairs  of 
the  little  city  by  a  devious  path  to  Castle  St.  Louis 
where  Frontenac,  with  his  aides  in  full  uniform,  was 
waiting  to  receive  him.  During  his  progress  onward 
he  was  jostled  and  pushed  to  make  him  think  that  there 
were  immense  crowds  of  people  in  the  little  city,  and 
hoarse  orders  were  shouted  near  his  ear  to  imaginary 
soldiery.  At  length  he  stood  in  the  council-room  of  our 

78 


THE  HEIGHTS  OF  QUEBEC 


little  fort  and  the  bandage  was  taken  from  his  eyes.  The 
scene  of  splendor  before  him  at  first  filled  him  with  con 
fusion,  but  he  quickly  recovered  poise  and  delivered  his 
message. 

"  No,"  returned  Frontenac,  "  I  will  answer  your 
general  only  by  the  mouths  of  cannon,  that  he  may  learn 
that  a  man  like  me  is  not  to  be  summoned  in  this  fashion. 
Let  him  do  his  best  and  I  will  do  mine! " 

During  the  short  and  futile  siege  which  followed, 
the  cannonading  between  the  vessels  of  Sir  William's 
fleet  and  the  French  fortification  was  so  terrific  that 
experienced  military  officers  declared  that  they  had 
heard  nothing  like  it.  At  length  the  besiegers  sailed 
away  baffled  and  the  furious  little  fort  grumbled  down 
to  another  season  of  peace.  Phips  reached  Boston 
in  November,  and  the  rest  of  his  fleet  straggled  in  one 
by  one,  such  as  were  not  lost  in  the  storms  of  the  perilous 
Nova  Scotia  coast.  Frontenac,  in  celebration  of  the 
deliverance  of  Quebec,  established  the  little  church  of 
Notre  Dame  de  la  Victoire  which  stands  in  Quebec  as  a 
memorial  of  those  days. 

The  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century  saw  the 
fortifications  of  Quebec  strengthened  and  enlarged. 
Vauban,  the  great  engineer,  furnished  the  plans  which 
were  carried  out  under  Frontenac's  personal  supervision. 
For  twenty  leagues  around,  the  habitants  were  pressed 
into  service  and  even  the  gentlefolk  of  the  colony  volun 
teered  for  work  with  pick  and  spade,  so  eager  was  the 

79 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


sentiment  to  carry  out  Vauban's  plans.  A  line  of  solid 
earthworks  was  extended  on  the  flank  of  the  city  from 
Cape  Diamond  to  the  St.  Charles  River,  and  now  for 
the  first  time  the  summit  of  Cape  Diamond  was  fortified, 
this  redoubt  with  sixteen  cannon  being  the  foundation  of 
the  present-day  citadel  of  Quebec.  In  the  foundation 
of  the  new  work  a  copper  plate,  discovered  at  the  de 
molition  of  the  old  walls  in  1854,  was  buried  bearing  the 
following  inscription: 

In  the  year  of  grace  1698  under  the  reign  of  the  Most 
August,  Most  Invincible  and  Most  Christian  King,  Louis  the 
Great,  Fourteenth  of  that  name,  the  most  Excellent  and  Most 
Illustrious  Lord,  Louis  de  Buade,  Count  of  Frontenac,  twice 
viceroy  of  all  New  France,  after  having  three  years  before  re 
pulsed,  routed  and  completely  conquered  the  rebellious  inhabi 
tants  of  New  England,  who  besieged  this  town  of  Quebec  and 
who  threatened  to  renew  the  attack  this  year,  constructed,  at 
the  charge  of  the  King,  this  citadel,  with  the  fortifications 
therewith  connected,  for  the  defence  of  the  country  and  the 
safety  of  the  people  and  for  confounding  yet  again  a  people 
perfidious  towards  God  and  towards  its  lawful  king.  And  he 
has  laid  this  first  stone. 

In  1709  the  sturdy  colonists  of  New  England 
planned  another  expedition  against  Quebec.  This  time 
the  home  government  had  promised  to  help.  But 
arrangements  were  delayed  and  it  became  late  autumn 
before  the  expedition  was  ready  to  set  out.  Under 
the  circumstances  a  fight  against  the  frigid  winter  of 

80 


THE  HEIGHTS  OF  QUEBEC 


Quebec  as  well  as  its  stone  strongholds  was  not  to  be 
considered. 

The  next  attempt  upon  the  little  city  took  place  in 
1711,  when  a  strong  fleet  under  Admiral  Sir  Hovenden 
Walker  set  sail  from  Boston  on  the  30th  of  July.  Under 
a  different  commander  this  effort  might  have  resulted 
in  success  to  the  British  arms,  but  Admiral  Walker 
scorned  all  advice  and  drove  his  big  frigates  on  so  reck 
lessly  amidst  the  dense  fogs  and  sharp  reefs  of  New 
foundland,  that  eight  battleships  were  beaten  to  pieces 
by  the  waves  and  rocks.  Eight  hundred  and  eighty- 
four  people,  thirty-four  of  them  women,  were  drowned. 
Admiral  Walker  sailed  ignominiously  back  to  Boston, 
and  in  Quebec  the  happy  French  changed  the  name  of 
their  little  church  of  Notre  Dame  de  la  Victoire  to  that 
of  Notre  Dame  des  Victoires. 

Yet  the  persistence  of  the  English  was  at  length  to 
have  its  way.  In  1720  the  walls  of  Quebec  were  en 
larged  and  made  mightier,  and  the  citadel,  largely  in 
the  form  in  which  it  exists  to-day,  was  erected.  Vaud- 
reuil,  the  last  governor  of  New  France,  loudly  pro 
claimed  that  the  city  was  impregnable.  In  1759  came 
the  expedition  of  Wolfe  against  Quebec,  the  final  out 
come  of  which  and  the  method  of  attack,  with  Wolfe's 
heroic  death  on  the  Plains  of  Abraham,  is  a  story  that 
every  schoolboy  knows. 

This  conflict  was  the  first  in  which  the  citadel  took 
part.  The  mighty  works  in  which  Vaudreuil  trusted 

6  81 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


so  loudly  had  been  overcome  on  their  first  trial,  while 
the  high-perched,  precariously-placed  little  "  Castle," 
which  Champlain  had  first  built  and  which  his  successors 
had  altered  to  suit  their  times,  had  withstood  innumer 
able  Indian  attacks  and  had  seen  three  assaults  by 
Europeans  fail  against  it.  The  spirit  of  the  men  who 
manned  the  forts  had  changed  with  their  times. 

There  is  another  tale  of  siege  and  Quebec  which  is 
not  widely  familiar  and  yet  which  all  Americans  should 
know.  It  is  the  story  of  Montgomery's  expedition 
during  the  Revolution — an  expedition  in  which  he  lost 
his  life  and  in  which  Benedict  Arnold  played  a  conspicu 
ous  part. 

Richard  Montgomery  was  a  lieutenant  in  Wolfe's 
army  and  was  thoroughly  familiar  with  Quebec.  At  the 
outbreak  of  the  War  of  Independence  he  was  deputized 
to  lead  an  army  up  the  Hudson  and  by  the  familiar  ap 
proach  along  the  Richelieu  River  and  the  St.  Lawrence 
to  Quebec.  Benedict  Arnold  led  another  force  through 
the  tangled  forests  of  northern  Maine  and  New  Hamp 
shire,  reaching  Quebec  ahead,  even,  of  Montgomery. 
The  combined  forces  laid  siege  to  the  city  through  the 
winter,  and  in  the  most  desperate  assault  of  all,  one 
in  which  Wolfe's  feat  of  scaling  the  cliff  was  attempted, 
Montgomery  lost  his  life.  After  six  months  the  United 
States  troops  departed,  confessing  failure. 

From  that  time  to  this  the  military  history  of 
Quebec  has  been  uneventful.  In  the  early  part  of  the 

82 


THE  HEIGHTS  OF  QUEBEC 


nineteenth  century  old  Castle  St.  Louis,  which  had 
stood  so  many  storms  and  assaults,  succumbed  to  fire. 
The  site  is  now  an  open  square  with  some  relics  and  a 
fine  view  over  the  river. 

The  great  citadel  of  Quebec  rises  three  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  above  the  river  and  covers  nearly  forty 
acres.  The  portion  of  the  works  overlooking  the  St. 
Lawrence  is  called  the  Grand  Battery,  while  the  sur 
mounting  pinnacle  of  the  citadel  is  known  as  the  King's 
Bastion.  From  the  King's  Bastion  a  most  glorious 
panorama  is  spread  out  before  one,  embracing  the  city, 
the  great  river,  hundreds  of  miles  of  forest  and  farm 
land,  the  Laurentian  mountains  in  the  distance  in  one 
direction  and  the  green  hills  of  Vermont  far  away  in 
another. 

All  of  the  old  works  of  Quebec  have  been  retired 
from  active  service  in  a  military  sense.  The  city  is 
protected  by  modern  fortifications  in  other  quarters. 

Two  memorials  record  two  great  events  in  the  his 
tory  of  the  citadel.  The  chief  is  the  Wolfe-Montcalm 
monument  erected  just  behind  the  Dufferin  Terrace 
in  a  little  green  enclosure  known  as  the  Governor's 
Garden.  The  second  is  a  simple  tablet  set  up  in  the 
face  of  the  cliff  on  the  river-front  below  the  citadel, 
marking  the  spot  where  the  United  States  General 
Montgomery  fell  in  the  winter  of  1775. 


FORT  ANNAPOLIS  ROYAL 

ANNAPOLIS— ANNAPOLIS  BASIN,  NOVA  SCOTIA 


ORE  by  accident  than  by  design 
the  Sieur  de  Monts,  in  1604,  with 
his  oddly  assorted  band  of  adven 
turers  on  the  foggy  Bay  of  Fundy, 
steered  into  the  rocky  entrance 
which  leads  into  the  beautiful  land 
locked  basin  of  present-day  Annap 
olis  in  Nova  Scotia.  One  of  his  followers,  the  Baron 
de  Potrincourt,  was  so  enchanted  by  the  beauty  of  the 
scene  that  he  asked  a  grant  of  land  here.  This  was 
given  him,  and  upon  this  land  in  the  next  year  he  built 
himself  first  a  fort,  then  a  house,  and  then  several  more 
houses.  This  was  the  beginning  of  Port  Royal,  now 
known  as  Annapolis,  the  second  oldest  fortified  place 
in  the  Western  Hemisphere. 

The  voyager  to-day  may  repeat  de  Monts's  experi 
ence  and  with  no  design  to  do  that,  too.  Fogs  wrap 
the  eastern  and  western  coasts  of  Nova  Scotia  in  an 
impenetrable  blanket  most  of  the  time.  The  traveller 
who  sails, — let  us  say, — from  St.  Johns,  New  Bruns 
wick,  for  the  Annapolis  Basin,  crosses  sparkling  waters, 
and  then,  as  he  enters  the  mountainous  cleft  which  gives 
entrance  to  this  beautiful  bay,  comes  into  the  belt  of 
mist  which  obscures  all  of  the  coast.  He  hears  the  fog 
horn  on  the  point  at  the  entrance, — which  de  Monts 
did  not  hear, — and  then  suddenly,  like  an  apparition, 

84 


FORT  ANNAPOLIS  ROYAL 


the  land  looms  into  view;  there  is  a  lane  of  shrouded, 
uncertain  water,  between  towering  misty  headlands; 
and,  then,  he  is  beyond  the  mists.  Annapolis  Basin, 
bright  and  blue  with  soft  clouds  overhead,  like  a  high 
land  lake,  lies  before  him.  At  the  far  head  of  the  Basin, 
where  the  delicate  horizon  merges  into  the  sky,  is 
Annapolis.  It  is  not  hard  to  understand  Potrincourt's 
enthusiasm  for  this  beautiful  spot.  It  is  hard  to  under 
stand  how  de  Monts  himself  could  have  passed  over 
this  locality  in  favor  of  the  barren  Isle  St.  Croix  for 
his  first  settlement,  for  this  is  what  he  did. 

The  winter  of  1604  was  passed  by  the  little  coloniz 
ing  expedition  at  St.  Croix — the  sandy  island  which  is 
now  the  boundary  line  between  Canada  and  Maine. 
Potrincourt  went  back  to  France  with  de  Monts  to 
secure  supplies  and  settlers  for  his  own  pet  project, 
whose  setting  was  Annapolis  Basin,  and  returned  with 
his  chief  in  June,  1605,  to  find  that  the  companions  they 
had  left  behind  them  at  St.  Croix  had  had  a  sorry  winter. 
The  whole  settlement  was  then  moved  over  to  Potrin- 
court's  Port  Royal.  This  was  the  beginning  of 
Annapolis. 

The  makeup  of  de  Monts's  expedition  was  thor 
oughly  typical  of  the  colonizing  bodies  sent  out  by 
France  in  that  day.  There  were  men  of  the  noblest 
blood  of  France,  of  whom  our  Potrincourt  was  a  con 
spicuous  example,  and  there  was,  also,  the  sweeping  of 
the  offscouring  of  the  most  dissolute  cities  of  the  Old 

85 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


World.  The  motives  which  inspired  these  different 
men  were  no  doubt  as  mixed  as  the  character  of  the 
men  and  as  pleasant  a  theme  of  speculation,  but  with 
this  we  will  have  nothing  to  do.  The  second  winter 
of  de  Monts's  adventurers,  even  at  sheltered  Annapolis, 
was  severe,  and  it  was  with  joy  that  the  men  saw  the 
spring  of  1606  arrive  and  bring  with  it  the  little  ship 
from  France  which  annually  brought  supplies  and  new 
blood  from  the  Old  World. 

In  this  ship  there  was  one  arrival  who  must  be  given 
a  special  consideration.  A  poet-lawyer, — a  strange  com 
bination,  at  that, — Marc  Lescarbot  eventually  was  to 
write  his  name  in  fame  as  the  author  of  one  of  the 
earliest  histories  of  Xew  France,  one  of  the  most  au 
thentic  records  in  existence  of  the  early  adventures  of 
the  French  in  the  Xew  World ;  but  in  our  regard  of  him 
now  we  must  consider  the  high  spirit  and  bold  emprise 
which  he  brought  with  him  to  cheer  his  companions  and 
to  help  them  through  the  rigors  of  this  early  settle 
ment.  A  rhymester  of  some  skill,  he  tuned  his  lyre  to 
the  most  trivial  events  to  keep  his  associates  in  good 
spirits,  and  in  this  last  endeavor  displayed  an  ingenuity 
which  cannot  help  but  endear  him  to  all  generations 
which  like  brave  deeds  done  in  blithe  ways.  He  organ 
ized  the  Ordre  de  la  Bon  Temps,  the  only  requirements 
for  membership  in  which  were  presence  in  the  little 
colony,  and  the  duties  of  whose  members  were  on  suc 
cessive  days  to  provide  a  banquet  for  their  brethren. 

86 


FORT  ANNAPOLIS  ROYAL 


There  was  formality  attached  to  the  office,  too.  Theat 
rical  masques  were  gotten  up  and  odd  tasks  were  devised 
for  all  Knights  of  the  Merry  Time.  Lescarbot  infused 
a  brave  spirit  into  even  the  most  dreary  of  the  odd  crew 
which  made  up  this  colony.  We  can  picture  the  merry 
adventurers  in  their  rude  little  fort  engaged  in  their 
pranks  of  drollery  thousands  of  miles  away  from  home 
and  with  inhospitable  wilderness  and  bleak  shores  for 
environs. 

The  charter  of  the  colony  was  revoked  in  1607,  by 
one  of  those  pleasing  inconsistencies  of  royalty  which 
inspire  in  the  student  of  the  past  so  thorough  a  belief 
in  the  theory  of  the  divine  right  of  kings,  and  the  brave 
Order  of  the  Merry  Time  to  a  man,  with  retainers  and 
family  vessels,  embarked  upon  the  skittish  little  vessels 
in  which  they  entrusted  themselves  to  the  Atlantic  and 
sailed  back  to  France.  It  was  not  for  three  years  that 
any  of  them  returned,  but  in  1610  perseverance  on  de 
Potrincourt's  part  had  triumphed  over  royal  pudding- 
headedness  once  more,  and  in  that  year  he  came  back 
again  to  his  colony.  It  is  related  that  he  found  every 
thing  in  Port  Royal  exactly  ,as  he  had  left  it,  not  a  lock 
or  a  bar  in  the  little  fort  having  been  disturbed  by  the 
Indians,  who  displayed,  in  addition  to  their  honesty, 
another  engaging  trait  of  fidelity  to  friendship  by  the 
many  manifestations  of  joy  which  they  made  at  having 
with  them  again  their  friends,  the  Frenchmen.  Not 
again  was  Port  Royal  to  be  entirely  deserted. 

87 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


In  1613  the  Jesuits  of  Port  Royal,  a  class  to  them 
selves,  abandoned  the  place  and  attempted  the  settle 
ment  of  a  picturesque  inlet  on  Mount  Desert  Island 
on  the  coast  of  present-day  Maine,  their  inlet  still  bear 
ing  the  name  of  Frenchmen's  Bay.  The  freebooting 
Argall,  a  piratical  seafarer  from  the  new  colony  of 
Virginia  far  south  on  the  Atlantic  Coast,  heard  of  this 
settlement  and  descended  upon  it  in  force.  Most  of 
the  French  were  killed  after  a  brave  but  ineffectual 
resistance,  and  fire  and  axe  were  given  to  their  settle 
ment.  In  the  following  year  this  Argall  heard  of  the 
presence  of  Port  Royal,  for  news  travelled  slowly  in 
those  days,  and  proceeded  against  that  point  after  com 
pleting  his  work  of  pillage  at  Mount  Desert  and  St. 
Croix.  Taking  the  little  place  by  surprise  with  a 
superior  force,  he  scattered  the  inhabitants,  burned  the 
village,  and  razed  the  fort  to  the  ground.  Potrincourt, 
a  survivor,  returned  to  France  and  fell  fighting  at  the 
siege  of  Mery  in  the  following  year. 

From  this  time  until  the  signing  of  the  treaty  of 
St.  Germain-en-Laye  in  1632,  Port  Royal  and  Acadia 
were  held  in  the  hands  of  the  British,  and  during  this 
time  occurred  that  odd  experiment  of  Sir  William 
Mackenzie  to  make  of  Acadia  a  New  Scotland  or 
Caledonia.  The  Scottish  knight  obtained  the  concession 
of  the  Acadian  peninsula  from  King  James  in  1621  and 
founded  a  colony  on  the  site  or  very  near  the  site  of 
Port  Royal,  building  a  fort  at  this  point.  Charles  I 

88 


FORT  ANNAPOLIS  ROYAL 


renewed  the  charter  granted  by  his  predecessor,  and 
created  an  order  of  minor  nobility  known  as  the  Knights 
Baronets  of  Nova  Scotia.  It  became  Mackenzie's  idea 
to  establish  in  the  New  Caledonia  the  feudal  institutions 
of  the  Old  World.  His  colony  was  not  a  success  even 
during  its  short  life,  and  in  1632  Port  Royal  passed  by 
treaty  to  the  French,  thus  putting  an  end  effectually 
to  New  Caledonia  and  its  Knights  Baronets  of  the 
dissolute  Charles's  erection. 

The  see-saw  between  French  and  English  was  once 
more  to  incline  in  the  English  favor  as  regards  Acadia. 
The  cession  of  this  peninsula  to  the  French  had  always 
been  looked  on  with  disfavor  by  the  New  England 
colonists,  because  it  gave  their  hereditary  enemies  a 
secure  base  from  which  to  send  out  privateering  ex 
peditions  against  their  shipping.  In  1654,  Cromwell 
the  Protector  dispatched  a  force  to  ensure  the  subjuga 
tion  of  the  Dutch  on  the  Island  of  Manhattan.  Peace 
with  Holland  was  concluded  by  England  before  this 
purpose  was  effected,  and  it  was  then  determined  to 
turn  these  arms  to  the  reconquest  of  Acadia.  An  ex 
pedition  was  accordingly  fitted  out  secretly  in  Massa 
chusetts  and  dispatched  upon  its  mission.  The  French 
forts  on  the  Penobscot  and  at  St.  John  were  speedily 
reduced.  Le  Borgne  was  at  Port  Royal  with  one  hun 
dred  and  fifty  men  but  he  attempted  little  resistance 
and  the  post  once  more  came  into  English  possession. 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


Until  1667  Port  Royal  was  in  the  hands  of  the 
English,  and  then  by  the  Treaty  of  Breda  the  whole  of 
Acadia  was  returned  to  the  French.  During  their 
occupancy  the  English  had  spent  large  sums  repairing 
the  fortifications  in  Acadia  under  their  control,  and  in 
this  undertaking  the  importance  of  Port  Royal  was 
duly  recognized. 

For  the  next  generation  the  French  made  Port 
Royal  their  base,  and  the  place  acquired  an  evil  reputa 
tion  with  the  English  because  of  the  marauding  sea 
expeditions  which  proceeded  from  out  of  there.  Finally, 
in  1690,  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts  raised  a 
levy  and  empowered  Sir  William  Phips  to  go  against 
the  ancient  stronghold.  This  doughty  gentleman  was 
successful  in  his  mission  and  the  port  was  in  English 
hands  again — this  time  hands  of  destruction. 

After  the  departure  of  their  enemies  the  French 
rebuilt  Port  Royal  and  it  became,  once  more,  a  busy 
shipping  point  and  the  haunt  of  privateers.  It  is  not 
difficult  to-day  to  appreciate  the  fine  strategic  value  of 
Port  Royal,  set  at  the  head  of  its  beautiful  landlocked 
basin,  but  it  is  difficult,  to-day,  as  the  river  now  stands, 
to  appreciate  how  vessels  of  any  burthen  could  go  up  to 
its  wharves.  But  at  that  time,  doubtless,  the  river  had 
not  filled  up  to  the  degree  that  it  has  to-day. 

In  1704  and  again  in  1705,  the  pertinacious  New 
Englanders  went  upon  futile  expeditions  against  Port 
Royal,  each  time  being  driven  off  without  much  loss 

90 


FORT  ANNAPOLIS  ROYAL 


and  each  time  evincing  a  singular  lack  of  spirit  in  their 
enterprise,  a  lack  of  spirit  all  the  more  remarkable 
when  one  considers  the  undertakings  which  they  faced 
and  carried  through  at  other  times  in  their  history.  The 
taking  of  Port  Royal  seems  to  have  become  a  sort  of 
obsession  with  them — a  theme  for  an  idle  hour,  a  pet 
worry  which  they  would  take  up  when  all  other  worries 
failed  them.  Finally,  in  1710,  before  the  onslaught  of  a 
combined  force  of  Her  Majesty  Queen  Anne's  soldiery 
and  New  England  militia,  Port  Royal  fell  to  the  Eng 
lish  for  the  last  time,  bravely  and  gallantly  fighting 
against  overwhelming  odds.  Its  spirited  commandant, 
M.  Subercase,  with  a  famished  army  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  men,  marched  out  through  the  ranks  of  three 
thousand  five  hundred  enemies  and  the  red  flag  of 
England  was  raised  where  the  white  one  of  France  had 
flown.  Port  Royal  was  renamed  Annapolis  in  honor 
of  the  English  sovereign,  and  Colonel  Vetch,  with  four 
hundred  and  fifty  men,  occupied  the  fort.  Though  it 
was  endangered  by  French  arms  several  times  there 
after,  the  little  fort  was  never  again  out  of  English 
possession. 

The  sod  ramparts  of  the  fort  have  been  carefully 
maintained  and  are  to-day  the  cherished  possession  of 
Annapolis — or  Annapolis  Port  Royal,  as  its  inhabitants, 
making  an  odd  mixture  of  its  names,  prefer  to  call  it. 
From  them  one  may  gaze  down  the  placid  little  river 
over  a  scene  very  like  that  upon  which  its  French  and 

91 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


English  commanders  looked  on  their  separate  turns  and 
different  generations.  It  is  difficult  really  to  visualize 
the  events  through  which  the  little  fort  has  passed,  but 
if  one  considers  that  its  history  goes  as  far  back  beyond 
the  days  of  the  American  Revolution  as  the  beginning 
of  the  twentieth  century  comes  this  side  of  the  Revolu 
tion,  one  begins  to  perceive  how  big  is  its  historical  back 
ground  as  events  go  in  America. 

The  officers'  quarters, — a  quaint,  sturdy,  low  build 
ing, — and  the  magazine  are  still  standing  in  the  fort 
at  Port  Royal,  both  very  ancient  and  very  suggestive 
edifices,  neither  one  as  ancient  as  the  walls  of  the  little 
fort. 


THE  CITADEL  AT  HALIFAX 

NOVA  SCOTIA 


HE  province  of  Acadia  had  been 
in  English  possession  for  nearly 
half  a  century  when,  in  1749,  the 
powers  that  were  in  the  Mother 
Country  decided  that  Annapolis, 
the  little  game-cock  city  of  the 
peninsula,  whose  history  went 
back  to  1605,  was  not  a  fitting  place  for  the  capital 
of  the  province.  Its  harbor,  while  beautiful  and  se 
cure,  was  not  large  enough  for  the  purposes  that  Eng 
land  had  in  mind;  moreover,  it  was  on  the  western 
side  of  the  peninsula,  so  that  to  get  to  it  from  Europe 
one  must  pass  around  Cape  Sable  and  up  the  foggy 
Bay  of  Fundy.  And  so  we  find  that  the  home  author 
ities  projected  a  new  city,  which  was  to  be  the  capital 
of  the  province  and  whose  location  was  to  be  the 
magnificent  harbor  of  Chebucto  on  the  east  coast  of 
Acadia.  That  they  did  not  go  astray  in  their  antici 
pations  of  the  future  is  proved  by  the  present-day 
Halifax,  Nova  Scotia's  principal  city,  the  child  of  the 
plans  of  these  Englishmen  of  1749. 

The  value  of  Chebucto  as  a  harbor  had  been  known 
for  many  years  before  this  time,  we  may  assume.  It 
had  been  for  many  years  a  rendezvous  for  British  ves 
sels  in  American  waters.  When  D'Anville's  misfor- 
tuned  fleet  of  French  men-of-war  was  scattered  by 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


the  elements,  its  remnants  came  together  in  Chebucto 
Bay.  That  there  was  some  form  of  settlement  on  the 
shores  of  the  bay  ere  this  time  is  highly  probable,  but 
the  existence  of  human  life  in  any  organized  form  here, 
if  such  existence  there  was,  has  been  completely  over 
shadowed  in  retrospect  by  the  magnitude  of  the  enter 
prise  by  which  the  present-day  Halifax  was  founded. 

As  a  consequence  of  its  last  war  there  were  in 
England  numbers  of  young  and  able-bodied  men  set 
suddenly  at  liberty  who  had  been  engaged  in  military 
or  semi-military  pursuits.  Liberal  inducements  were 
offered  these  people  to  go  to  the  projected  metropolis. 
A  free  passage,  maintenance  for  a  year  was  promised, 
and  grants  of  land  varying  from  fifty  to  six  hundred 
acres  were  given.  The  Imperial  Government  voted  the 
sum  of  forty  thousand  pounds  to  help  defray  ex 
penses.  This  sum  was  increased  to  four  hundred  thou 
sand  pounds  before  five  years  had  passed.  The  Hon. 
Edward  Cornwallis  was  appointed  and  the  protection 
of  British  institutions  and  laws  was  promised. 

The  fleet  on  which  the  colony  set  sail  entered  Che 
bucto  Bay  in  the  month  of  July,  1749.  There  were 
thirteen  transports,  conveying  nearly  three  thousand 
settlers.  These  were  men  of  good  stock,  and  the  vigor 
with  which  they  attacked  the  problems  before  them  was 
sufficient  evidence  of  this  fact.  Streets  were  promptly 
laid  out,  a  civil  government  was  organized,  and  the 
entire  population  got  to  work  on  the  practical  issue 

94 


THE  CITADEL  AT  HALIFAX 


of  providing  shelter  for  themselves  and  their  families. 
Houses  were  built,  and,  last,  but  not  least,  in  that  day 
and  generation  a  fort  was  erected  on  the  rounded  top 
of  the  hill  around  which  they  had  plotted  their  town. 
This  was  the  forerunner  of  the  citadel  of  Halifax  of 
to-day.  Around  the  entire  settlement  was  built  a  high 
palisade. 

The  early  history  of  Halifax  did  not  include  sieges 
or  sustained  attacks  by  an  enemy,  but  it  was  in  the 
atmosphere  of  unrest  and  conflict  from  its  first  days. 
While  the  French  residents  of  Acadia  had  not  been 
molested  in  their  possession  of  land  in  Nova  Scotia, 
they  had  never  taken  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  England. 
Among  them  were  many  turbulent  spirits  who  incited 
the  Micmac  Indians  of  the  country  to  outrages  against 
English  people  and  who  took  part  in  these  outrages 
themselves  in  the  disguise  of  savages.  Moreover,  the 
French  had  pressed  the  boundaries  of  Canada  as  close 
to  the  boundaries  of  Acadia  as  they  dared,  and  they 
continually  tried  to  foment  ill  feeling  amidst  the  simple 
Acadian  peasants  against  the  English.  The  story  of 
the  days  between  the  conquest  of  Acadia  by  the  English 
and  the  final  peace  between  France  and  England  in 
the  New  World  is  one  of  partisan  warfare,  of  forays 
and  minor  sieges  and  attacks  by  land  and  water. 

All  of  these  things  went  on  around  Halifax,  and 
enemy  vessels  even  slipped  into  her  harbor  in  bold 
dashes  upon  rich  covey  or  unsuspecting  foe.  From 

95 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


Halifax  went  forth  Lawrence  at  the  order  of  Gov 
ernor  Cornwallis  to  oppose  the  French  at  Beasejour, 
now  Cumberland,  where  the  French  had  built  a  fort 
on  what  they  claimed  was  their  own  ground.  Lawrence 
built  another  fort  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  little 
stream  of  Missigouache,  which  the  French  claimed  to 
be  the  boundary  between  the  rival  domains,  and  went 
back  to  Halifax  for  reinforcements.  His  building  the 
fort  was  opposed  by  the  French  skirmish,  and  the  blood 
shed  in  this  little  skirmish  was  the  first  blood  to  flow 
in  combat  between  France  and  England  in  Old  World 
or  New  since  the  treaty  of  Aix  la  Chapelle. 

In  the  council  rooms  of  the  citadel  at  Halifax  the 
order  to  deport  the  French  peasantry,  or  Acadians,  was 
debated.  From  the  government  house  here  went  forth 
the  orders  that  this  act  should  be  done.  The  story  of 
the  deportation  of  the  Acadians  and  of  their  sufferings 
has  been  told  many  times  in  prose  and  very  beautifully 
by  Longfellow  in  verse. 

During  the  American  Revolution  and  during  the 
War  of  1812,  Halifax  was  the  centre  of  activity  of  the 
British  naval  forces,  and  so  it  has  continued  to  this  day. 
During  the  War  of  the  Revolution  and  the  War  of 
1812  merchant  vessels  were  brought  to  this  port  to  be 
sold  as  prizes.  During  the  great  European  war  of  this 
time  of  writing  merchant  vessels  suspected  of  carrying 
contraband  and  seized  by  the  British  in  the  American 

96 


THE  CITADEL  AT  HALIFAX 


Atlantic  waters  have  been  taken  to  Halifax  to  be  passed 
on  by  a  prize  court. 

The  citadel  of  Halifax  is  not  one  of  its  prime  de 
fences  to-day.  It  has  become  more  of  a  public  park 
than  a  strong  arm  for  battle.  From  its  walls  magnifi 
cent  views  of  the  harbor  of  Halifax  can  be  obtained, 
one  of  the  most  splendid  harbors  in  the  world,  to-day  as 
stimulating  to  enterprise  as  in  the  days  when  Chebucto 
Bay  was  cast  for  the  part  of  a  great  port  by  the  Lords 
of  Trade  of  England. 


FORT  GEORGE 

CASTINE— MAINE 


HE  little  town  of  Castine,  on  the 
Penobscot  River,  Maine,  is  a 
favorite  resort  for  summer 
visitors,  who  are  attracted  by  its 
fine  air,  its  abundance  of  sea 
food,  and  its  accessibility  to  the 
interior  of  the  country.  These 
same  considerations  together  with  the  fine  strategic 
location  of  Castine  Peninsula  at  the  head  of  Penob 
scot  Bay,  guarding  the  entrance  to  the  Penobscot 
River,  influenced  the  French  adventurers  of  three  hun 
dred  and  more  years  ago  to  plant  their  settlement  of 
Pentagoet  and  to  build  a  fort  in  this  very  vicinity. 
Traditions  of  the  settlement  and  grass-covered  ruins 
of  the  fort  are  still  to  be  discovered  at  Castine. 

In  the  course  of  the  years  there  came  here  the  British 
at  war  with  the  colonies,  and  His  Majesty's  forces  built 
Fort  George,  an  important  post  in  its  day  and  one 
of  the  best  preserved  Revolutionary  works  in  New 
England.  These  ruins  are  the  scene  of  pilgrimage 
of  hundreds  of  people  annually — merry  parties  from 
the  summer  colonies  which  dot  the  shores  of  Penobscot 
Bay  or  from  Mount  Desert  Island,  around  the  corner 
as  the  land  lies  from  Castine. 

The  remains  of  Fort  George  might  even  to-day  be, 
with  no  disproportionate  labor,  put  into  condition  for 

98 


FORT  GEORGE 


defence.  The  fort  was  a  square  bastioned  work  pro 
tected  by  a  moat  excavated  down  to  solid  rock.  Each 
bastion  was  pierced  with  four  embrasures.  Though  no 
buildings  now  remain  inside  the  fortress,  the  position 
of  the  barracks,  magazine  and  guard-house  may  easily 
be  traced. 

Standing  on  the  ruined  wall  of  Fort  George,  one 
can  easily  discern  in  what  features  lay  its  strength  and 
importance.  The  approach  on  three  sides  is  by  steep 
ascents,  and  especially  is  this  the  case  to  the  south  or 
seaward,  the  quarter  from  which  attack  might  be  ex 
pected.  The  shape  of  the  peninsula  is  seen.  Very 
similar  to  the  peninsula  on  which  Portland  is  situated, 
it  is  a  large  swollen  heart  of  land  hung  to  the  mainland 
by  a  cord  from  the  north.  To  the  south  the  eye  has  a 
wide  prospect,  bounded  in  the  distance  by  the  blue 
mountains  of  the  Camden  range.  To  the  west  is 
Brigadier's  Island, .  and  blue  water  where  Belfast  lies 
in  the  distance.  To  the  north  Fort  Point  can  be  seen 
with  the  granite  walls  of  the  never- completed  Fort 
Pownall,  begun  by  Governor  Pownall  in  1759.  North 
of  east  is  more  water  and  the  distant  solitary  Blue  Hill. 

The  military  history  of  Fort  George  reflects  no 
great  credit  on  American  sagacity,  though  it  throws 
into  strong  light  the  national  aggressive  spirit.  The 
first  four  years  of  the  American  Revolution  passed  very 
peacefully  in  Maine  (then  a  part  of  Massachusetts), 
though  its  hardy  seamen  and  backwoodsmen  were  not 

99 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


backward  in  joining  the  fighting  forces  to  the  south. 
Then,  in  1779,  the  British  powers  in  Halifax  decided 
to  carry  the  war  into  the  northern  colonies.  Accord 
ingly,  in  June  of  that  year,  Colonel  Francis  M'Lean 
was  despatched  from  the  aforesaid  port  with  nine  hun 
dred  men  to  seize  and  fortify  the  well-known  peninsula 
of  Castine  or,  as  it  was  then  known,  Penobscot  Penin 
sula.  He  landed  on  the  12th  of  June,  and  with  great 
energy  commenced  to  establish  himself  firmly  in  his 
position. 

The  news  was  immediately  carried  to  the  Massa 
chusetts  fathers  at  Boston.  Hancock  was  then  Gov 
ernor  and  General  Gates  commanded  the  Eastern  De 
partment  of  the  colonies,  with  headquarters  at  Provi 
dence.  With  that  cocksureness  for  which  the  Puritan 
colony  has  been  distinguished  since  its  foundation,  the 
rulers  of  Massachusetts  at  Boston  put  their  heads  to 
gether  without  notifying  Gates,  the  Continental  Con 
gress,  or  the  leaders  of  the  war  in  this  country,  and 
resolved  to  push  an  expedition  against  M'Lean.  An 
embargo  of  forty  days  was  put  upon  vessels  in  Massa 
chusetts  ports,  so  that  transport  possibilities  could  not 
put  to  sea,  and  a  large  land  and  naval  force  was  raised. 

The  army  was  commanded  by  Solomon  Lovell; 
the  fleet  by  Captain  Saltonstall  of  the  Warren,  a  fine 
frigate  of  thirty-two  guns.  Peleg  Wadsworth  was 
second  in  command  to  Lovell,  and  Paul  Revere,  of 
Longfellow's  poem,  was  in  charge  of  the  artillery.  The 

100 


FORT  GEORGE 


land  forces  numbered  about  twelve  hundred  men,  and 
this  number  might  be  augmented  by  three  hundred 
marines  from  the  fleet.  There  were  enough  guns  of 
large  calibre  and  other  supplies  of  war.  The  fleet  was 
formidable  in  appearance  and  equipment,  but  it  was 
entirely  lacking  in  discipline  and  co-ordination,  as  was 
shortly  to  be  seen. 

The  force  appeared  off  Castine  on  the  25th  of  July, 
1779,  and  found  the  fort  unfinished  and  thoroughly 
unprepared  for  defence.  M'Lean  despatched  mes 
sengers  to  Halifax  for  aid,  and  kept  busily  on  with 
his  defences.  Two  bastions  had  not  been  begun  and 
the  two  remaining,  with  the  curtains,  had  not  been  raised 
more  than  four  or  five  feet.  Captain  Mowatt,  a  thor 
oughly-hated  British  naval  officer,  and  the  bombarder 
of  defenceless  Portland,  was  in  the  harbor  with  three 
light  vessels  with  which  he  took  position  to  prevent  a 
landing  on  the  south  side  of  the  peninsula.  A  deep 
trench  was  cut  across  the  isthmus  connecting  with  the 
mainland. 

No  landing  could  be  made  except  beneath  the  pre 
cipitous  bluff,  two  hundred  feet  high,  on  the  west. 

On  the  third  day  the  Americans  succeeded  in  land 
ing  and  in  securing  a  position  on  the  heights.  Instead 
of  making  a  final  assault  upon  the  unfinished  fort  now, 
however,  they  dallied  where  they  stood,  threw  up  earth 
works  and  fought  out  a  wordy  battle  amongst  them 
selves  as  to  how  to  go  ahead.  The  commanding  officers 

101 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


disagreed  on  any  one  plan,  so,  finally,  at  this  late  date, 
they  appealed  to  General  Gates  for  instructions.  Two 
weeks  passed  and  Sir  George  Collier  arrived  with  a 
British  fleet  to  relieve  his  beleaguered  countrymen.  The 
Americans  were  obliged  to  take  to  their  heels. 

General  Wadsworth  retired  to  his  home  near  Thom- 
aston,  not  a  great  distance  from  Castine,  and  was  cap 
tured  by  a  British  detachment  sent  out  from  the  fort 
for  the  purpose.  His  escape  from  the  fort  with  a  com 
panion,  Major  Burton,  is  one  of  the  interesting  minor 
episodes  of  the  history  of  that  point.  Suffice  it  to  say 
that  General  Wadsworth  on  a  dark  night  managed  to 
get  over  the  walls  by  the  aid  of  a  torn  blanket  and 
reached  the  mainland.  Eventually  he  made  Portland 
and  safety. 

For  the  remainder  of  the  Revolution  the  British 
were  at  Castine,  from  whence  they  went  forth  on  many 
expeditions  of  depredation.  The  loss  of  this  little 
peninsula  became  a  serious  consideration,  indeed,  to  the 
Americans. 

During  the  War  of  1812  Castine  once  more  became 
a  British  stronghold,  when,  in  1814,  the  American  de 
fenders  gave  up  the  post  to  a  force  which  made  it  a 
centre  for  plundering  coast  towns  east  and  west,  levying 
forced  contributions,  and  destroying  ship-yards.  At 
this  time  Bangor  was  taken,  Belfast  visited,  and  Hamp- 
den  pillaged.  After  a  stay  of  eleven  months  the  British 
left  Castine  in  April,  1815.  In  the  neighborhood  of  the 

102 


FORT  GEORGE 


fort  they  left  a  reputation  for  gayety,  their  stay  having 
included  a  round  of  balls,  teas,  and  dinners. 

The  history  of  Castine  as  a  fortified  point  under 
New  France  commences  with  the  re-occupation  of 
Acadia,  Nova  Scotia,  under  Richelieu's  strong  direction. 
Castine,  or  Pentagoet,  as  the  French  called  it,  was  an 
extreme  outpost  against  the  English  and  was  to  be 
maintained  at  all  costs.  In  1654,  however,  it  fell  to  the 
conquering  hand  of  Sedgwick,  a  Massachusetts  officer 
who  reduced  all  French  posts  in  Acadia.  Sedgwick 
describes  it  as  a  small  well-planned  work  mounting 
eight  guns.  It  was  not  until  1670  that  the  French  flag 
was  again  unfurled  over  Pentagoet,  and,  at  this  time, 
it  is  shown  in  old  records  that  the  place  was  considerably 
enlarged  and  strengthened,  only  to  fall,  in  1674,  to 
buccaneers  from  San  Domingo,  who  carried  off 
Chambly,  the  commander,  and  held  him  to  ransom. 

The  next  Frenchman  whom  we  find  at  Pentagoet 
was  that  strange  product  of  sophistication  and  savagery, 
the  Baron  St.  Castine.  Vincent,  Baron  St.  Castine, 
came  to  America  with  his  regiment  in  1665,  and  the 
wild  life  of  the  great  forests  seems  to  have  called  him 
from  the  first.  When  his  regiment  was  disbanded 
shortly  after  its  arrival  in  this  country,  Castine  plunged 
into  the  forests  and  took  up  life  in  the  fashion  that  the 
Indians  lived  it.  He  joined  the  tribe  of  the  Abenakis, 
a  mighty  people  of  that  day,  and  become  so  high  in 
their  favor  that  he  married  the  daughter  of  the  chief, 

103 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


Madocawando,  an  implacable  foe  of  the  English.  In 
1685  we  find  Castine  in  command  at  Pentagoet  with 
his  dusky  followers  around  him.  He  never  changed 
his  wife,  though  we  have  reason  to  believe  that,  like 
Sir  William  Johnson,  of  later  times,  he  found  pleasure 
in  many  coppery  enchantresses.  Toward  the  close  of 
this  century  his  fort  and  trading  post  was  captured  and 
destroyed  by  the  English,  and  the  Baron  himself,  it  is 
believed,  returned  to  his  native  France.  His  half-breed 
son,  by  his  Indian  wife,  for  many  years  carried  fire  and 
sword  against  the  English  and  was  a  picturesque  figure 
in  the  wars  of  the  Massachusetts  border. 


FORT  FREDERICK 

PEMAQUID— MAINE 


HE  English  clenched  hand  which 
answered  the  brandishing  of  the 
French  mailed  fist  at  Pentagoet, 
now  Castine,  was  Fort  Frederick 
at  Pemaquid,  that  anciently- 
known  peninsula  which  marks 
the  entrance  to  the  Kennebec 
River.  Parts  of  the  walls  of  old  Fort  Frederick  are 
still  standing,  its  entire  outlines  are  plainly  to  be 
discerned,  and  it  is  a  favorite  point  of  visit  with  the 
many  people  who  make  their  homes  in  this  part  of  the 
Maine  coast  during  the  summer  months. 

Pemaquid,  itself,  is  one  of  those  long  arms  of  rock 
which  are  characteristic  of  the  Maine  coast.  A  good 
word  picture  of  the  locality  has  been  painted  by  S.  A. 
Drake,  the  chronicler  of  Maine  coast  history.  "  A  belt 
of  rusty  red  granite  stretches  around  it  above  low  water 
mark,"  he  writes,  "  and  out  into  the  foaming  breakers 
beyond.  Pastures  pallid  from  exhaustion  and  spotted 
with  clumps  of  melancholy  firs  spread  themselves  out 
over  this  foundation.  In  the  extreme  corner  of  this 
threadbare  robe  there  is  a  light-house.  You  look  about 
you  in  vain  for  the  evidences  of  long  occupation  which 
the  historic  vista  has  opened  to  you  in  advance." 

While  there  have  been  many  wild  reports  that  the 
settlement  on  Pemaquid  antedated  that  on  Massachu 
setts  Bay,  itself,  there  is  lacking  weight  of  historical 

105 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


evidence  to  support  this  contention.  Pemaquid  was 
visited  by  Captain  John  Smith  in  1614,  but  that 
doughty  mariner  makes  no  mention  in  his  account  of  his 
visit  of  having  seen  any  Europeans  at  the  place,  as  he 
undoubtedly  would  have  done  had  his  vision  encount 
ered  any  such  settlers.  William  Bradford,  the  con 
scientious  chronicler  of  early  Plymouth  doings,  tells 
us  that  in  1623  "  there  were  also  in  this  year  some  scat 
tered  beginnings  made  at  Pascataway  by  Mr.  David 
Thompson,  at  Monhegan  and  some  other  places  by 
sundry  others,"  and  it  is  very  conceivable  that  Pemaquid 
Point  might  properly  be  included  amongst  these  "  some 
other  "  places.  In  1625  we  find  Samoset,  the  famous 
chieftain  of  Pilgrim  days,  selling  to  a  certain  John 
Brown  land  at  Pemaquid,  the  sign-manual  Samoset 
used,  according  to  his  custom,  being  a  bended  bow  with 
an  arrow  fitted  to  the  string. 

In  1630  there  were  certainly  the  beginnings  of  a 
settlement  at  Pemaquid  and  the  foundations  of  a  for 
tress.  Shortly  after  this  time  the  locality  was  visited  by 
Dixy  Bull,  one  of  the  freebooters  of  that  day,  who  pil 
laged  the  place  in  leisurely  and  thorough  fashion. 
Another  settlement  was  developed  and  this  shared  the 
fate  of  its  predecessor  during  the  evil  days  of  King 
Philip's  War.  But  the  close  of  King  Philip's  War 
brought  better  days  to  Pemaquid,  when  the  govern 
ment  of  New  York,  under  royal  letters  patent,  assumed 
control  of  that  place  and  constructed  a  strong  timber 

106 


FORT  FREDERICK 


redoubt  there  with  a  bastioned  outwork.  This  was  to 
provide  a  rallying  point  for  the  frightened  settlers.  It 
was  completed  in  1677  and  garrisoned  by  soldiers  from 
New  York.  The  fort  was  known  as  Fort  Charles 
and  the  town  around  it,  which  was  built  up  on  the  site 
of  the  old  settlements,  was  known  as  Jamestown. 
Under  the  new  regime  a  military  government  was  estab 
lished,  of  which  the  commandant  of  the  post  was  the 
head.  The  free  living  inhabitants  of  the  post  were  irked 
at  being  under  strict  martial  rule. 

Under  the  terms  of  the  Treaty  of  Breda,  Acadia  had 
been  returned  to  France  and  with  it  Pentagoet  (Cas- 
tine)  and  the  possession  of  the  Penobscot  River.  The 
French,  in  the  general  fashion  which  they  affected, 
declared  that  the  Kennebec  and  the  country  tributary 
thereto  belonged  to  Acadia.  This  contention  the  Eng 
lish  disputed.  We  have,  therefore,  the  rival  powers  at 
their  two  extreme  outposts, — the  French  at  Pentagoet 
and  the  English  at  Pemaquid, — in  violent  opposition  to 
each  other. 

In  1688,  Sir  Edmund  Andros,  Governor  of  Massa 
chusetts,  made  a  sudden  descent  upon  Castine,  the 
town,  and  plundered  the  place.  Castine,  the  man,  in 
cited  his  friends  the  Abenakis  and  soon  had  the  border 
in  a  blaze.  He  planned  a  retaliatory  descent  upon 
Pemaquid.  Spies  were  sent  to  New  Harbor,  an  out 
post  of  Pemaquid,  and  preparations  were  made  to  move 
in  force. 

107 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


In  August,  1689,  the  war  party,  led  by  Castine  in 
person,  landed  on  the  eastern  shore  of  Pemaquid  Penin 
sula  without  being  discovered.  The  attack  was  planned 
with  care.  The  main  village  lay  about  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  from  the  fort.  The  farms  where  most  of  the  in 
habitants  were  at  work  were  three  miles  from  the  fort. 
One  band  of  the  assailants  was  to  throw  itself  upon  the 
fort  and  village,  and  another  to  cut  off  the  village  from 
the  farms. 

The  plan  was  carried  out  without  a  hitch.  The  men 
at  the  farms  ran  for  the  fort  and  were  shot  down  or 
taken  prisoners.  The  assailants  next  turned  their  atten 
tion  to  the  fort.  The  big  rock  in  back  of  the  fort,  which 
makes  so  conspicuous  a  feature  of  the  locality  to-day, 
was  occupied  by  savages,  who  fired  down  upon  the  de 
fenders  of  the  stronghold,  and  the  attack  was  pressed 
fiercely  from  other  quarters.  For  twenty-four  hours 
Weems,  the  commander,  held  out.  Then,  when  fourteen 
out  of  his  garrison  of  thirty  had  been  wounded,  he  sur 
rendered  on  condition  that  the  occupants  should  be  free 
to  leave  unmolested.  Fort  and  village  were  set  on  fire 
and  Pemaquid  for  the  second  time  had  been  swept  out 
of  existence. 

Under  Sir  William  Phips,  who  acted  by  royal  in 
struction,  Pemaquid  was  rebuilt  and  regarrisoned  in 
1692.  Unlike  the  old  fortress,  the  new  one  was  built 
of  stone  in  a  most  substantial  and  enduring  fashion,  and 
so  enlarged  as  to  take  in  the  high  ledge  of  rock  which 

108 


FORT  FREDERICK 


had  been  the  vulnerable  point  of  the  old  defences.  The 
new  work  was  known  as  Fort  William  Henry.  Cot 
ton  Mather,  the  indefatigable  chronicler  of  that  period, 
speaks  of  it  as  follows: 

.•$*••  '* 

William  Henry  was  built  of  stone  in  a  quadrangular  figure, 
being  about  737  foot  in  compass  without  the  walls  and  108  foot 
square  within  the  inner  ones.  Twenty-eight  ports  it  had  and 
fourteen  (if  not  eighteen)  guns  mounted,  whereof  six  were 
eight een-pounders.  The  wall  on  the  south  line,  fronting  to  the 
sea,  was  twenty-two  foot  high  and  more  than  six  foot  thick  at 
the  ports,  which  were  eight  foot  from  the  ground.  The  greater 
flanker,  or  round  tower,  at  the  western  end  of  this  line,  was 
twelve  foot  high.  The  wall  on  the  east  line  was  twelve  foot 
high,  on  the  north  it  was  ten,  on  the  west  it  was  eighteen. 

Impoverished  Massachusetts  demurred  at  having  to 
pay  the  bills  for  the  work,  but  Phips  drove  the  State  to 
meet  the  obligation. 

The  ruler  of  New  France  at  this  time  was  the 
energetic  and  far-sighted  Frontenac,  who  believed  that 
he  must  reduce  the  new  English  fortress  or  himself 
lose  his  hold  on  his  Indian  allies.  With  character 
istic  promptness  he  set  out  about  the  task  that  he  had 
visioned.  Two  ships  and  some  hundreds  of  savages 
were  despatched  to  take  the  fort.  The  fort  had  been 
forewarned  through  the  heroism  of  a  young  New  Eng- 
lander,  John  Nelson,  who  faced  the  Bastile  or  death 
by  the  headsman's  hands  to  get  word  to  his  brethren  in 

109 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


New  England  of  the  expected  expedition.  The  gar 
rison  was  on  its  guard  and  so  the  expedition  miscarried. 

Frontenac  was  not  the  man  to  be  put  off  with  one 
reverse,  however,  as  the  New  Englanders  should  have 
realized  but  did  not.  In  August,  1696,  Iberville,  with 
two  war-ships  and  a  mixed  force  of  French  and  Indians, 
appeared  before  Fort  William  Henry  and  took  the 
garrison  completely  by  surprise. 

There  were  about  one  hundred  men  in  the  fort 
under  the  command  of  Captain  Pascho  Chubb.  Cas- 
tine  and  his  Indians  who  are  supposed  to  have  landed 
at  New  Harbor,  two  miles  away,  set  up  entrenchments 
in  the  rear  of  the  fortress  (where  the  cemetery  is), 
thus  cutting  off  the  garrison  on  the  land  side.  Cannon 
were  landed  and  batteries  erected  on  adjacent  shores 
and  islands.  With  so  much  energy  did  the  besiegers 
work  that  their  batteries  opened  fire  at  three  o'clock 
of  the  afternoon  following  the  day  on  which  they  ap 
peared  before  the  fort. 

To  the  first  summons  to  surrender  Chubb  returned 
a  defiant  answer,  but  when  the  first  shells  began  to 
burst  within  his  lines  he  seems  to  have  lost  his  courage. 
Intimidated,  in  addition,  by  Iberville's  threat  to  show 
no  quarter  if  he  persisted  in  resistance,  he  hastened 
to  throw  open  his  gates  to  the  foe.  The  Indians,  hard 
enough  to  keep  in  order,  anyhow,  found  one  of  their 
race  in  irons  in  the  prison  of  the  fortress  and  imme 
diately  began  a  slaughter  of  the  surrendered  English. 

no 


FORT  FREDERICK: 


This  outbreak  was  restrained  with  difficulty,  and  the 
English  were  loaded  on  ships  and  sent  to  Boston. 

Two  days  were  consumed  by  the  French  in  destroy 
ing  the  fortifications  at  Pemaquid  and  they  then  set 
sail  for  St.  John's  River,  narrowly  escaping  destruc 
tion  by  a  fleet  sent  out  from  Boston  in  pursuit. 

The  next  attempt  to  fortify  Pemaquid  was  made 
in  1729,  when  Colonel  Dunbar  was  sent  over  with  a 
royal  commission  to  rebuild  the  fort  at  the  charge  of 
the  English  crown.  This  work  he  set  himself  to  with 
a  right  good  will,  and  he  called  his  fort  Fort  Frederick 
in  honor  of  the  Prince  of  Wales,  father  of  George  III. 
Fort  Frederick  stood  until  the  opening  of  the  Revo 
lutionary  War,  when  the  inhabitants  of  Pemaquid  de 
stroyed  the  works  rather  than  man  them,  advancing 
the  unique  argument  that  since  the  people  were  not 
strong  enough  to  defend  them  they  were  a  source  of 
weakness  rather  than  strength! 

That  the  inhabitants  of  this  coast  were  not  lack 
ing  in  spirit  is  shown,  however,  by  an  incident  of  the 
War  of  1812,  which  may  be  told  here.  The  enemy's 
cruisers  kept  the  whole  coast  in  alarm  because  of  their 
frequent  depredations  against  defenceless  points.  One 
day  one  of  these  cruisers  hove  to  in  New  Harbor  and 
a  barge  fully  manned  put  out  for  shore.  A  small 
militia  force  had  been  stationed  by  the  Americans  at 
old  Fort  Frederick  and  this  force  was  hastily  sum 
moned.  The  English  barge  drew  near.  It  was  hailed 

in 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


by  an  old  fisherman  who  warned  the  British  officer 
not  to  attempt  a  landing. 

"  If  a  gun  is  fired  the  whole  town  will  be  destroyed," 
replied  the  Britisher. 

Not  a  single  gun,  but  a  number  of  them,  answered 
this  threat.  The  rocks  of  the  shore  bristled  with  fowl 
ing  pieces  and  ducking-guns  and  all  manner  of  fire 
arms.  The  barge  drifted  helplessly  to  sea,  its  occu 
pants  badly  wounded,  and  the  master  of  the  war-ship, 
after  taking  his  helpless  men  on  board,  sailed  away 
to  Halifax. 

Old  Fort  Frederick,  in  1814,  saw  the  beginning  of 
the  historic  combat  between  the  vessels  Boxer  and  the 
Enterprise,  in  which  the  Enterprise,  U.  S.  A.,  com 
manded  by  Lieutenant  Burrows,  was  victorious. 


FORT   NIAGARA 

AT  MOUTH  OF  NIAGARA  RIVER— NEW  YORK 


HE  main  building  of  old  Fort 
Niagara,  "  The  Castle,"  is  prob 
ably  the  oldest  piece  of  masonry 
in  the  State  of  New  York,  hav 
ing  been  constructed  by  the 
French  in  1726.  The  stone-work 
of  the  barracks,  a  structure  134 
by  24  feet  with  walls  only  eight  feet  in  height,  goes  back 
to  1757,  and  in  this  year  was,  also,  built  the  magazine. 
The  bake-house,  replacing  a  former  one  on  the  same  site, 
was  put  up  by  the  British  in  1762  and  the  two  stone 
block-houses  by  them  in  1771  and  1773. 

In  the  two  hundred  and  eighty-eight  and  a  half 
acres  of  the  government  reservation  here  one  is  in  touch 
visibly  with  the  Past.  And  what  deeds  of  the  Past  these 
old  stone  buildings  might  tell  if  they  were  given  power 
of  speech! 

The  name  Niagara  is  of  Iroquois  origin,  as  are  so 
many  names  of  New  York  State,  and  is  of  ancient  ap 
plication  to  the  river  and  the  falls  which  bear  them. 
The  falls  of  the  Niagara  are  indicated  on  Champlain's 
map  of  1632  and  in  1648  are  spoken  of  by  the  Jesuit 
Rugueneau  as  "  a  cataract  of  frightful  height."  It  is 
certain  that  the  indefatigable  emissaries  of  the  order  of 
which  he  was  a  member  had  penetrated  to  the  region 
of  the  great  falls  before  this.  In  1678  the  falls  were 

8  113 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


visited  by  the  Friar  Louis  Hennepin,  who  drew  a 
curious  picture  of  them,  still  preserved,  and  gave  a  more 
curious  and  exaggerated  description. 

In  the  year  that  the  good  Friar  Hennepin  was  pay 
ing  his  respects  to  Nature's  great  wonder,  Robert 
Cavelier  Sieur  de  la  Salle  was  building  his  fort  at  Fron- 
tenac,  now  Kingston,  Canada  West,  and  in  1675  King 
Louis  XIV,  that  brilliant  and  indefatigable  monarch 
of  France,  whose  legislative  labors  in  opposition  to  race 
suicide  in  Canada  justly  earned  him  the  title  of  the 
Father  of  Canada,  bestowed  upon  our  cavalier  a  large 
grant  of  land  near  his  fort.  La  Salle,  inspired  by  the 
brilliant  discoveries  of  Marquette  and  Joliet  in  the 
region  farther  west  than  that  wherein  he  had  his  baili 
wick,  determined  to  explore  the  lands  south  of  Ontario 
and  to  connect  the  territories  which  he  hoped  thus  to 
acquire  with  Quebec  by  means  of  a  series  of  posts.  Em 
powered  by  his  royal  master  with  letters  warrant  to 
embark  upon  this  form  of  enterprise,  he  crossed  over 
Ontario,  picked  out  a  settlement  point  at,  or  near,  the 
present  Lewiston,  New  York,  and  commenced  the  build 
ing  of  a  small  vessel  on  Cayuga  Creek  above  the  falls, 
the  supplies  for  this  vessel  being  carried  from  his  little 
settlement  near  Lewiston,  below  the  falls,  and  in  the 
direction  of  his  main  base  at  Fort  Frontenac.  At  the 
same  time  he  commenced  the  construction  of  a  small  fort 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Niagara  River,  which  would  guard 
the  approaches  to  his  work  farther  in  the  interior  and 

114 


FORT  NIAGARA 


would  also  serve  as  one  of  the  chain  of  posts  by  which 
he  hoped  to  secure  to  France  the  territory  which  he 
meant  to  acquire. 

This  little  fort  on  Niagara  Point  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Niagara  River  was  kept  up  by  La  Salle  during  the 
remainder  of  his  career  in  the  New  World,  and  was  con 
tinued  by  the  Marquis  de  Nonville,  Governor  of  New 
France,  who,  in  1687,  raised  it  to  the  dignity  of  a  "  fort 
with  four  bastions."  At  this  time  it  was  in  the  command 
of  Troyes  with  100  men.  Soon  after  this  the  little  place 
was  besieged  by  Senecas,  and  while  the  four  bastions 
and  the  other  defences  beat  off  the  savage  foe,  the  gar 
rison  perished  almost  to  a  man  from  the  ravages  of  dis 
ease.  Shortly  after  the  point  was  abandoned  and 
allowed  to  fall  into  decay.  During  the  succeeding  years 
of  misfortune  to  the  French  the  fort  was  filled  only  with 
weeds  and  vines  and  savage  visitors, — early  prototypes 
of  present-day  tourist  throngs, — and  it  was  not  until 
1725  that  the  place  was  reoccupied  and  rehabilitated. 

From  this  time  for  many  years  Fort  Niagara  was  a 
little  city  in  itself  and  for  a  long  time  the  greatest  point 
south  of  Montreal  or  west  of  Albany.  The  fort,  proper, 
covered  about  eight  acres  and  had  its  ravines,  ditches 
and  pickets,  curtains,  counterscarps  and  covered  way; 
stone-towers,  laboratory  and  magazine;  mess-house,  bar 
racks,  bakery  and  blacksmith  shop.  For  worship  there 
was  a  chapel  with  a  large  dial  over  the  door  to  mark  the 
course  of  the  sun.  "  The  dungeon  of  the  mess-house, 

115 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


called  the  black  hole,  was  a  strong,  dark,  and  dismal 
place;  and  in  one  corner  of  the  room  was  fixed  the  ap 
paratus  for  strangling  such  unhappy  wretches  as  fell 
under  the  displeasure  of  the  despotic  rulers  of  those 
days.  The  walls  of  this  dungeon,  from  top  to  bottom, 
had  engraved  upon  them  French  names  and  mementos 
in  that  language.  That  the  prisoners  were  no  common 
persons  was  clear,  as  the  letters  and  emblems  were  chis 
elled  out  in  good  style." 

The  immense  strategic  importance  of  the  post  was 
not  lost  on  the  English.  It  guarded  approach  to  the 
treasured  winter  regions  of  the  great  lakes  with  their 
store  of  furs,  and  it  furnished  a  fine  base  for  negotia 
tions  with  the  Indians  of  New  York  State  and  the  keep 
ing  of  them  in  a  state  of  disaffection  with  the  English. 

In  1755,  during  that  series  of  preliminary  conflicts 
which  marked  the  beginning  of  the  great  battle  royal 
between  France  and  England  for  the  possession  of  the 
New  World,  an  expedition  against  Niagara  was  fitted 
out  by  Governor  Shirley,  of  Massachusetts,  and  pro 
ceeded  under  his  command  as  far  as  Oswego.  Thus  far 
it  went  and  no  farther,  for  sickness  and  desertion 
thinned  the  ranks  of  the  men,  and  unfavorable  weather, 
as  well  as  the  presence  of  the  French  in  strength  at 
Frontenac  just  across  the  lake,  rendered  unwise  further 
advance  in  the  Governor  of  Massachusetts'  project.  It 
was  not  for  four  years,  1759,  that  the  arm  of  the  Eng 
lish  was  used  in  strength  against  the  busy,  ancient  fort. 

116 


FORT  NIAGARA 


In  this  year  General  Prideaux,  a  capable  officer, 
with  Sir  William  Johnson,  of  New  York,  as  his  second 
in  command,  was  despatched  with  a  force  of  English 
colonial  troops  and  Indians  against  the  post.  Fort 
Niagara  was  garrisoned  by  600  French  soldiers  under 
the  command  of  Captain  Pouchot,  a  chevalier  of  the 
order  of  St.  Louis.  About  a  mile  up  the  river  was  a 
little  wooden  stockade  commanded  by  the  half-breed 
Joincaire-Chabert,  who  with  his  brother  Joincaire- 
Clauzonne  and  a  clan  of  Indian  relatives  had  long  been 
a  thorn  in  the  side  of  the  English  in  influencing  the 
powerful  Five  Nations  against  them.  But  Sir  William 
Johnson  was  beginning  to  have  that  ascendency  over 
this  savage  federation  which  was  to  be  so  great  an  aid 
to  the  English  from  this  time  forward  and  had  with  him 
now  900  warriors  of  this  clan  to  lead  against  the  French. 
So  Joincaire  closed  up  his  little  stronghold  and  joined 
his  forces  to  those  of  Pouchot,  the  combined  strength  of 
the  two  by  no  means  being  sufficient  to  beat  off  the 
English  attack. 

There  was  another  resource  upon  which  Pouchot 
confidently  relied,  however,  and  this  was  prospect  of 
help  from  the  back  countries  controlled  by  the  French. 
By  order  of  Vaudreuil,  the  Governor  of  New  France, 
the  French  population  of  the  Illinois,  Detroit  and  other 
distant  posts  had  come  down  the  Lakes,  a  motley  and 
picturesque  throng,  to  help  maintain  the  ascendency  of 
France  in  the  New  World.  They  were  now  gathered 

117 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


at  various  posts  of  the  French  back  country,  and  no 
sooner  did  Pouchot  learn  that  the  English  were  about 
to  attack  him  than  he  sent  messengers  to  summon  all  of 
these  forces  to  Niagara. 

The  siege  began  with  the  clumsy  lack  of  forethought 
which  seemed  to  mark  all  military  operations  of  those 
days,  which  depended  chiefly  upon  native  courage  and 
final  enthusiasm  of  assault  to  carry  through  than  wise 
foreplanning.  The  English  trenches  were  so  unskilfully 
laid  out  that  they  were  raked  by  the  fire  of  the  fort. 
However,  the  English  at  last  got  down  to  business  and 
their  batteries  commenced  to  play  upon  the  French.  A 
prematurely  bursting  shell  from  one  of  the  coehorns 
killed  Prideaux  at  almost  the  first  discharges  of  the  bom 
bardment  and  the  command  fell  upon  Sir  William  John 
son,  who  proceeded  with  an  enheartening  energy  to 
carry  on  the  good  work.  At  the  end  of  three  weeks 
the  rampart  of  Fort  Niagara  was  breached,  more  than 
100  of  the  soldiery  therein  had  been  killed  and  the  gar 
rison  was  in  extremity.  Yet  Pouchot  fought  on  val 
iantly,  resting  upon  the  arrival  of  reinforcements  from 
the  French  and  savage  forces  which  he  had  summoned. 
At  length  a  distant  firing  told  him  that  these  were  near. 

Pouchot  went  with  an  officer  to  the  bastion  next  to 
the  river  and  listened  anxiously  to  the  firing  which  told 
him  that  his  reinforcements  were  in  conflict  with  the 
English  and  trying  to  cut  a  way  through  to  the  belea 
guered  stronghold.  For  a  time  he  heard  the  sound  of 

118 


FORT  NIAGARA 


battle  and  then  all  was  still.  At  length  a  friendly  Indian 
who  had  passed  unnoticed  through  the  lines  of  the  Eng 
lish  came  to  the  French  commander.  "  Your  men  are 
defeated,"  he  said  in  substance.  Pouchot  would  not  be 
lieve  him.  Nevertheless  it  was  true  and  this  fact  was 
the  death-blow  to  French  hold  of  Fort  Niagara.  In  the 
articles  of  surrender  shortly  afterward  drawn  up,  it  was 
specially  stipulated  that  the  French  should  be  protected 
from  the  Indians  as  they  feared  that  the  massacre  of 
Fort  William  Henry  would  be  avenged  upon  them. 
Johnson  was  able  to  restrain  his  lawless  allies  and, 
though  the  fort  was  given  to  pillage,  no  French  lives 
were  taken  after  the  surrender. 

From  this  time  until  the  close  of  the  American  War 
of  Independence  the  post  remained  in  English  hands. 
During  the  Pontiac  War  of  1763  the  Indians  made  an 
unsuccessful  attack  upon  it  and  its  garrison  frequently 
took  part  in  small  skirmishes  with  lurking  unfriendly 
Senecas  in  the  woods  around  the  post.  Heavily  gar 
risoned  by  the  English  during  the  Revolution,  it  served 
as  a  base  for  the  war  parties  which  frequently  devas 
tated  the  State  of  New  York.  Both  the  expedition  led 
by  Colonel  Butler,  which  culminated  in  the  massacre  at 
Wyoming,  New  York,  in  1778,  and  that  which  laid 
waste  Cherry  Valley  in  the  same  year,  started  from  Fort 
Niagara. 

That  the  American  forces  were  not  unaware  of  the 
evil  dominance  of  this  post  on  the  far  western  border  of 

119 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


New  York,  we  cannot  doubt,  as  one  of  the  objects  of  the 
expedition  led  by  General  Sullivan  against  the  Indians 
in  1779  was  the  destruction,  if  possible,  of  Niagara;  but 
this  campaign  ended  only  with  the  destruction  of  Indian 
villages.  Subsequent  to  the  declaration  of  peace  be 
tween  England  and  America,  the  point  was  held  by 
English  troops  until  it  was  taken  over  by  an  American 
garrison  in  1796,  probably  having  the  distinction  of 
being  the  last  post  surrendered  by  the  English  to  the 
Americans  in  the  United  States.  In  1799,  in  anticipa 
tion  of  another  Indian  war,  the  post  was  heavily  rein 
forced. 

A  description  of  Fort  Niagara  between  1805  and 
1814  has  been  given  by  a  daughter  of  Dr.  West,  surgeon 
to  the  post  during  those  years. 

It  was  then  surrounded  on  three  sides  with  strong  pickets 
of  plank,  firmly  planted  in  the  ground  and  closely  joined  to 
gether  ;  a  heavy  gate  in  front  of  double  plank,  closely  studded 
with  iron  spikes.  The  fourth  side  was  defended  with  embank 
ments  of  earth  under  which  were  formerly  barracks,  affording 
a  safe  though  somewhat  gloomy  retreat  for  the  families  of 
soldiers,  but  which  had  been  abandoned  and  the  entrance  closed 
long  before  my  remembrance,  having  been  so  infested  with 
rattlesnakes  that  had  made  their  dens  within  that  it  was  hardly 
safe  to  walk  across  the  parade. 

The  last  chapter  in  the  history  of  the  fort  was  not 
a  glorious  one,  though  thoroughly  typical  of  the  desul 
tory  character  of  the  conflict  between  Great  Britain  and 

the  United  States  which  is  known  as  the  War  of  1812. 

120 


FORT  NIAGARA 


The  official  declaration  of  the  imminence  of  hostilities 
reached  Fort  Niagara,  June  26,  1812,  and  preparations 
were  immediately  undertaken  to  strengthen  and  defend 
the  work.  The  fort  was  then  under  the  command  of 
Captain  Leonard,  United  States  Artillery,  with  370 
men.  During  the  night  of  December  19, 1813,  the  Eng 
lish,  500  strong,  under  Colonel  Murray,  crossed  the 
river,  captured  the  sentinels  and  took  the  work  by  sur 
prise,  killing  65  of  the  American  garrison  and  taking 
prisoner  almost  all  of  the  remainder,  with  a  loss  to  them 
selves  of  five  men  killed  and  wounded.  A  disgraceful 
side  of  the  matter  is  that  none  of  the  American  officers 
were  at  their  posts  at  this  time,  but  were  off  junketing 
somewhere  in  the  country  near  by.  Twenty-seven  can 
non  of  large  calibre,  3000  stand  of  small  arms,  and  a 
large  amount  of  clothing,  garrison  equipage,  and  com 
missary  stores  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  British,  who, 
as  well,  destroyed  the  villages  of  Lewiston  and  Buffalo, 
besides  all  of  the  dwellings  on  the  lake  as  far  as  Eigh 
teen-Mile  Creek. 

The  capture  of  Fort  Niagara  was  shortly  afterwards 
characterized  in  the  following  terms  by  General  Cass 
who  was  ordered  to  the  frontier:  "  The  fall  of  Niagara 
was  owing  to  the  most  criminal  negligence ;  the  force  in 
it  was  fully  competent  for  its  defence." 

The  English  held  Niagara  until  the  close  of  the  war 
and  surrendered  it  to  the  United  States  in  March,  1815. 
The  career  of  the  point  from  that  time  to  the  present 

has  been  merely  one  of  growing  old  gracefully. 

121 


FORT  ONTARIO 

OSWEGO— NEW  YORK 


T  was  in  1722  that  Oswego,  New 
York,  was  made  the  site  of  an 
armed  camp  and,  at  that,  it  was 
more  through  the  stubborn  de 
termination  of  Governor  Burnet 
of  the  colony  that  the  thing  should 
be  done  than  through  any  willing 
ness  of  the  staid  burghers  of  the  State  Assembly  to 
co-operate  with  their  executive  in  schemes  leading  to 
future  good.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  Governor  Burnet 
is  said  to  have  paid  the  bill  for  establishing  his  little  fort 
out  of  his  own  pocket,  though  he  may  have  made  this 
sum  up  in  some  other  direction — authorities  do  not  tell 
us  this  kind  of  thing !  Yet  this  little  post  was  to  become 
one  of  the  most  decisive  factors  in  determining  the 
result  of  the  conflict  between  France  and  England  for 
the  New  World,  the  flags  of  three  Christian  nations 
were  to  fly  over  it  at  different  periods,  and  warriors 
white,  red,  French,  English  and  colonial  were  to 
struggle  for  its  possession.  So  much  grows  out  of  so 
little! 

One  of  the  earliest  mentions  of  Oswego  in  the  his 
tory  of  the  colonies  is  that  in  1687  the  Onondaga  In 
dians  presented  a  petition  to  the  mayor  and  common 
council  of  Albany,  that  busy  little  trading  post,  request 
ing  them  to  establish  a  trading  post  and  fort  at  this 

122 


FORT  ONTARIO 


point.  The  mayor  and  common  council  evidently 
thought  that  this  was  too  wild  an  undertaking;  for  no 
defences  existed  there  when,  in  1696,  the  restless 
Frontenac  landed  at  Oswego  Point  on  a  punitive  ex 
pedition  against  the  Five  Nations  and  built  himself  a 
little  stockade  fort  before  pressing  on  to  fruitless  vic 
tory  into  the  interior  of  the  country. 

The  strategic  importance  of  the  location  to  the  Eng 
lish  was  not  lost  on  these  astute  empire  builders,  giving 
access  as  it  does  with  the  Hudson  Valley  by  way  of  the 
Oswego  River,  through  Oneida  Lake,  to  the  headwaters 
of  the  Mohawk  River,  or  giving  access  to  the  Susque- 
hanna  Valley  by  way  of  the  Oswego  River,  Lake  Onan- 
daga  and  the  head  of  the  Susquehanna.  During  the 
governorship  of  Lord  Bellemont,  in  the  province  of 
New  York,  the  establishment  of  a  post  at  Oswego  was 
contemplated,  and  material  was  even  ordered  from 
England  for  the  purpose,  but  it  remained  for  Governor 
Bellemont's  successor  to  carry  out  in  effect  what  had 
been  before  done  in  theory. 

In  1727  Governor  Burnet  called  the  attention  of 
the  councillors  of  the  province  to  the  fact  that  he  had 
established  a  post  at  Oswego  (the  name  was  borrowed 
from  the  Iroquois),  and  added  that  he  had  sent  a  cap 
tain,  two  lieutenants  and  sixty  soldiers  to  the  point  and 
that  he  intended  to  keep  a  force  there  always. 

This  announcement  came  to  the  ear  of  the  gover 
nor  of  New  France  and  so  incensed  him  that  he  sent  a 

123 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


letter  to  Governor  Burnet  asking  that  official  why,  in 
opposition  to  the  plain  stipulations  of  the  Treaty  of 
Ghent  which  forbade  the  erection  of  works  of  defence 
or  offence,  he  had  constructed  and  manned  this  fort. 
Governor  Burnet  replied  by  calling  attention  to  the 
French  building  of  "  Oneagorah "  or  Niagara,  thus 
showing  that  the  practice  of  justifying  a  soiled  pot  by 
pointing  to  a  black  kettle  is  of  ancient  foundation. 
Anyhow,  Governor  Burnet  went  cheerfully  on  with  his 
fortifying  of  Oswego,  though  Governor  Beauharnais 
sent  several  expeditions  to  harass  and  deter  his  work 
men. 

This  first  fortification  at  Oswego  was  of  a  very 
simple  character.  Beauharnais  complained  that  it  was 
"  a  redoubt  with  galleries  and  full  of  loop-holes  and 
other  works  belonging  to  fortifications,"  but  Burnet 
merely  says  that  the  "  walls  were  four  feet  thick  of 
large  good  stone  "  and  finds  no  other  details  to  dilate 
upon.  In  1741  the  colony  authorized  the  expenditure 
of  600  pounds,  sterling,  to  "  erect  a  sufficient  stone 
wall  at  a  proper  distance  around  the  trading  house  at 
Oswego,  either  in  a  triangular  or  quadrangular  form, 
as  the  ground  will  best  admit  of,  with  a  bastion  or 
block-house  in  each  corner  to  flank  the  curtain."  Later 
on  we  find  that  complaints  were  made  to  the  General 
Assembly  that  the  contractors  who  had  the  job  in  hand 
were  using  clay  instead  of  stone  and  that  they  were 
skimping  their  work  fearfully  in  order  to  line  their 

124 


FORT  ONTARIO 


pockets  generously.  This  is  one  of  the  very  earliest  pub 
lic  scandals  of  New  York  State  and  one  that  seems  to 
have  eluded  the  muck-raker  so  far. 

The  post  was  abandoned  between  the  years  1744 
and  1755  as,  on  the  outbreak  of  hostilities  with  Canada, 
its  occupants  feared  that  they  could  not  in  their  ex 
posed  and  unsupported  position  withstand  an  attack 
in  force  from  Quebec. 

As  the  years  went  on,  however,  the  post  of  Oswego 
became  increasingly  valuable  to  the  English  and  they 
in  turn  became  far  more  able  to  hold  their  own.  Situ 
ated  as  it  was  between  Niagara  and  the  ocean, — be 
tween  the  back  country  of  the  French  and  their  metrop 
olis  of  Quebec, — it  fairly  broke  the  back  of  the  long 
wriggling  French  line  of  settlements,  which  extended 
from  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Lawrence  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Mississippi. 

In  1755  the  English  authorities  agreed  upon  a  plan 
of  invasion  of  Canada  and  resolved  to  make  Oswego 
their  base  of  operations.  Accordingly  Colonel  Shirley, 
of  Massachusetts,  with  his  own  and  Sir  William  Pep- 
perell's  regiments,  with  some  New  Jersey  and  New 
York  militia,  in  addition,  made  his  way  to  Oswego, 
arriving  there  about  the  end  of  June,  1755.  They 
were  prevented  by  sickness  and  ill  luck  from  proceed 
ing  against  Niagara  as  had  been  their  intention,  and 
the  one  great  thing  that  they  accomplished  was  the 
rehabilitation  of  the  old  fort.  They  also  commenced 

125 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


a  fort  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  which  they  called 
Fort  Ontario,  and  Fort  Ontario  has  survived  to  the 
present  day.  An  extract  from  the  "  Gentleman's 
Magazine  "  of  1756,  New  York  Colonial  Documents, 
gives  an  idea  of  this  undertaking: 

When  it  was  determined  that  the  army  at  Oswego  should  go 
into  winter  quarters,  they  began  a  new  fort  upon  the  hill  upon 
the  east  side  of  the  river,  about  470  yards  from  the  old  one ;  it 
is  800  feet  in  circumference  and  will  command  the  harbor ;  it  is 
built  of  logs  from  20  to  30  inches  thick;  the  wall  is  14  feet  high 
and  is  encompassed  by  a  ditch  14  feet  broad  and  10  feet  deep; 
it  is  to  contain  barracks  for  300  men.  On  the  other  side  of 
the  river  west  from  the  old  fort  another  new  fort  is  erecting; 
this  is  170  feet  square.  A  hospital  of  frame- work,  150  feet  by 
30  feet,  is  already  built  and  may  serve  as  a  barrack  for  200 
men,  and  another  barrack  is  preparing  of  150  feet  by  24. 

The  second  new  fort  noted  in  this  extract  is  Fort 
George,  a  rude  structure  and  one  not  fitted  long  to 
stand  against  the  elements. 

Another  result  of  Shirley's  expedition  was  to  cause 
the  French,  who  had  been  rather  inactive,  to  bestir 
themselves.  In  the  fall  of  1755  they  heavily  reinforced 
their  posts,  sending  to  Fort  Niagara  a  lively  young 
Captain  named  Pouchot.  In  1756  this  observant  man 
despatched  a  memorial  to  his  superiors  at  Quebec, 
setting  forth  that  the  English  at  Oswego  were  not  on 
the  alert,  or  in  force,  and  that  the  capture  of  the  post 
was  a  feasibility.  The  authorities  at  Quebec  thought 

126 


FORT  ONTARIO 


well  of  this  idea,  so  well  in  fact  that  Montcalm,  him 
self,  who  was  at  Fort  Frontenac, — newly  arrived  in  New 
France  to  take  over  the  command  of  the  military  forces 
of  the  whole  French  new  world, — took  charge  of  the 
expedition,  which  was  organized  on  Captain  Pouchot's 
suggestion. 

Before  proceeding  in  force  against  Oswego,  Mont- 
calm  ordered  De  Villiers  to  proceed  with  700  men  to 
the  headwaters  of  the  Oswego  River  and  to  observe 
the  enemy  at  Oswego.  This  force  advanced  rapidly, 
surprised  and  took  Fort  Bull,  on  Wood  Creek  near 
the  head  of  Oneida  Lake,  and  destroyed  a  large  amount 
of  provisions  destined  for  Oswego.  On  May  7,  1756, 
a  party  of  Indians  set  out  from  Fort  Niagara,  made 
a  descent  upon  some  ship  carpenters  near  Oswego,  and 
returned  to  Niagara  with  twelve  scalps.  These  re 
peated  successes,  joined  with  Braddock's  defeat,  pro 
duced  a  profound  effect  upon  the  Indians  and  caused 
the  Iroquois  Federation  to  side  for  the  time  with  the 
French.  Throughout  the  early  summer  of  this  year 
Montcalm's  men  continued  to  harass  the  garrison  at 
Oswego,  capturing  many  stores  of  provisions  designed 
for  Fort  Ontario.  Montcalm  hurried  his  preparations, 
so  that  by  August  he  was  ready  to  march  against 
Oswego  with  3000  men  well  equipped.  He  landed  on 
Four-inch  Point,  east  of  Oswego,  on  August  11,  and 
marched  to  a  swamp  a  short  distance  in  the  rear  of 
Fort  Ontario,  where  he  gave  charge  of  the  engineer- 

127 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


ing  operations  now  developing  upon  his  expedition  to 
Captain  Pouchot. 

Pouchot  constructed  a  road  through  the  swamp  in 
one  night  and  opened  up  with  a  battery  upon  Fort 
Ontario  at  sixty  paces  distance.  The  garrison  fled  in 
disorder  across  the  river  to  the  old  fort.  Montcalm 
sent  a  strong  force  to  cross  the  river  above  to  cut  off 
retreat  and  opened  fire  the  next  morning  with  a  battery 
on  the  river  bank.  Colonel  Mercer,  the  English  com 
mander,  was  killed  and  his  men  soon  surrendered.  The 
spoils  of  the  conqueror  were  120  cannon,  9  vessels  of 
war  in  process  of  construction,  and  a  great  quantity 
of  provisions  and  munitions  of  war. 

There  now  occurred  another  one  of  those  horrible 
massacres  which  fouled  the  name  of  the  French  through 
their  inability  to  control  their  savage  allies.  The  pris 
oners  numbered  1700,  many  of  them  civilian  employees 
in  the  ship -yards,  and  Montcalm  had  pledged  their 
safety.  Notwithstanding  this,  more  than  a  hundred 
were  killed  by  the  savages,  either  quickly  or  by  the 
slow  process  of  torture.  The  French  losses  in  the  siege 
were  30  killed  and  wounded,  and  the  English  killed  in 
fighting  numbered  150. 

The  artillery  of  the  English  forts  at  Oswego  was 
removed  to  Fort  Niagara  and  the  forts  were  dismantled. 
The  forts  remained  unoccupied  until  1759,  when  the 
English  advancing  to  the  attack  of  Fort  Niagara  left 
a  force  of  500  men  here  to  protect  their  rear  and  keep 

128 


FORT  ONTARIO 


open  their  lines  of  communication.  The  French  ad 
vanced  against  this  small  command  and  would  have 
taken  it  by  surprise  had  not  a  priest  insisted  upon  speak 
ing  to  the  troops  before  they  went  into  battle.  The 
English  became  apprised  of  the  approach  of  the  French 
during  this  delay  and  sallied  out  to  attack  them,  with 
victory  in  the  subsequent  battle  crowning  their  efforts. 

In  1760  General  Amherst  strengthened  the  forts 
at  Oswego  and  left  a  large  force  here  which  became 
valuable  in  the  war  against  Canada.  This  was  one  of 
the  few  fortunate  moves  that  this  general  made. 

Fort  Ontario  was  also  an  important  base  for  the 
British  during  the  war  of  American  Independence.  In 
1777  the  English  Colonel  St.  Leger  gathered  700  men 
here  and  was  joined  by  Brant  with  700  Indians.  The 
combined  forces  marched  to  besiege  Fort  Stanwix  at 
the  head  of  the  Mohawk  River,  but  were  defeated  and 
pursued  back  to  their  base,  where  they  hurriedly  em 
barked  for  Montreal. 

In  1783  General  Washington  prepared  an  expedi 
tion  under  Colonel  Willett  to  capture  Fort  Ontario. 
The  command  assembled  at  Fort  Stanwix  and  marched 
for  Oswego.  When  within  a  few  miles  of  the  fort  their 
presence  was  discovered  and  made  known  to  the  British 
by  some  wood-cutters,  and  Colonel  Willett,  on  learn 
ing  that  his  chance  of  taking  the  post  by  surprise  was 
gone,  marched  back  to  Fort  Stanwix  without  making 
an  attack.  Peace  was  soon  declared  and  no  further 
operations  were  conducted. 

0  129 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


The  post  was  transferred  to  the  United  States 
in  1796,  with  the  other  frontier  posts  which  Great 
Britain  had  held.  From  then  until  the  outbreak  of  the 
War  of  1812  it  was  allowed  to  fall  into  decay,  and  at 
the  beginning  of  that  conflict  was  but  partially  armed 
and  quite  unable  to  withstand  an  enemy.  The  English, 
hearing  of  its  condition,  and  hearing,  moreover,  of  the 
presence  in  the  fort  of  large  quantities  of  stores  of  all 
kinds,  sent  a  fleet  with  3000  men  against  the  place. 

The  British  force  appeared  before  the  town  May  5, 
1814.  The  Americans  prepared  a  battery  on  shore  and 
gallantly  repulsed  efforts  at  landing,  until  at  length 
the  British,  through  pure  force  of  numbers,  were  able 
to  accomplish  this  first  step.  The  Americans  then  re 
treated  up  the  river  in  good  order,  burning  the  bridges 
in  their  rear.  Their  number  was  300.  The  British, 
baffled  in  taking  any  prisoners,  burned  the  barracks, 
spiked  the  guns  and  retired.  The  American  loss  was 
6  killed,  38  wounded  and  24  missing.  The  British  loss 
was  235.  From  that  time  to  the  present  Fort  Ontario 
has  remained  in  possession  of  the  United  States. 

The  years  saw  the  town  of  Oswego  grow  up  around 
Fort  Ontario.  The  fort  was  rebuilt  of  wood  in  1839 
and  of  stone  in  1863.  In  1901  the  garrison  was  with 
drawn  and  the  old  fort  is  now  a  public  reservation  for 
the  use  of  the  citizens  of  Oswego,  its  days  of  military 
life  probably  ended  forever. 


FORT  MICHILLIMACKINAC  AND 
FORT  HOLMES 

MACKINAC  ISLAND— MICHIGAN 


T  was  a  conjunction  of  the  Church 
and  the  State  which  began  the 
career  of  Fort  Michillimackinac, 
more  than  three  centuries  ago,  at 
Saint  Ignace,  a  point  on  the  Can 
adian  side  of  the  Straits  of  Mack- 
inac;  the  Church  in  the  person  of 
the  restless  Father  Marquette  and  the  State  in  the  form 
of  its  indefatigable  military  servant,  the  Sieur  de  la 
Salle.  In  1673  Father  Marquette  established  the  mis 
sion  of  Saint  Ignace  in  a  thriving  village  of  the  Ottawas, 
who  were,  Francis  Parkman  tells  us,  among  the  most 
civilized  tribes  of  the  American  natives.  Two  years 
later  La  Salle  visited  the  place  in  the  Griffon,  the  first 
vessel  to  sail  the  Great  Lakes.  This  barque  the  inde 
fatigable  Frenchmen  had  just  constructed  on  Cayuga 
Creek  just  above  Niagara  Falls. 

The  beginnings  of  a  fort  were  already  made  when 
La  Salle  came  to  St.  Ignace,  that  is,  a  palisade  had  been 
erected.  Its  defenders  were  Indians.  La  Salle  sent 
the  Griffon  back  to  civilization  for  supplies  and  rigging 
for  a  second  sailing  vessel.  Fortunately  for  history, 
which  would  have  lost  one  of  its  most  picturesque  fig 
ures,  he  decided  to  remain,  himself,  at  Saint  Ignace  and 
not  to  accompany  his  beloved  Griffon  on  its  round  trip. 

131 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


That  bewildered  little  ship  was  overcome  by  the  fury 
of  one  of  the  lakes.  At  least  it  never  returned,  or  was 
heard  of,  and  reasonable  surmise  is  that  it  found  its 
haven  beneath  the  waters.  La  Salle  filled  in  his  spare 
hours  at  Saint  Ignace  in  the  casual  practice  of  his  pro 
fession,  by  completing  and  strengthening  the  puny  de 
fences  which  Father  Marquette  had  caused  to  be  erected. 
Thus  came  into  existence  the  first  Fort  Michilli- 
mackinac. 

Indian  tradition  concerning  the  name  Michilli- 
mackinac  is  curious.  It  relates  that  Michapous,  chief 
of  spirits,  sojourned  long  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Straits 
of  Huron,  on  a  mountain  on  the  border  of  the  lake. 
Here  he  first  instructed  man  to  fabricate  nets  and  to 
take  fish  therein.  On  the  island  of  Michillimackinac  he 
left  spirits  named  Imakinakos  and  from  these  legendary 
possessors  came  the  name  Michillimackinac  which  means 
Great  Turtle.  The  tradition  is  not  altogether  clear. 
Suffice  it  to  be  assured  that  the  word  is  of  Indian 
origin,  and  doubtless  its  patient  originators  were  thor 
oughly  well  pleased  with  it. 

The  next  distinguished  visitor  to  Saint  Ignace  was 
La  Motte  Cadillac,  whose  name  is  spread  so  generously 
around  all  of  this  lakeside  region  of  Michigan  and 
whose  errand  was  to  strengthen  the  fort  which  La  Salle 
had  erected  on  Father  Marquette's  foundation.  Use 
less  labor  this  proved  to  be,  for  the  growing  importance 
of  Detroit  and  the  determination  of  the  French  to  build 

132 


FORT  MICHILLIMACKINAC 


up  this  point  at  the  expense  of  the  more  northern  and 
less  accessible  trading-post  caused  Saint  Ignace  to  wane 
in  importance  and  its  stockades  to  be  unoccupied. 

In  1712  the  little  setttlement  was  moved  bodily  to 
the  southern  side  of  the  straits  at  the  point  where 
Mackinaw  City  now  stands  and  the  second  Fort 
Michillimackinac  was  erected,  destined  to  a  far  more 
eventful  history  than  the  first.  Time  ran  on.  The 
French  lost  their  grip  of  the  New  World  and  sur 
rendered  Michillimackinac  with  other  places  to  the 
English.  Let  us  see  how  the  little  place  looked  in 
English  possession.  Parkman  has  well  described  it: 

Doubling  a  point  he  sees  before  him  the  red  flag  of  England 
swelling  lazily  in  the  wind  and  the  palisades  and  wooden  bas 
tions  of  Fort  Michillimackinac  standing  close  upon  the  margin 
of  the  lake.  On  the  beach  canoes  are  drawn  up  and  Canadians 
and  Indians  are  lazily  lounging  A  little  beyond  the  fort  is  a 
cluster  of  the  white  Canadian  houses  roofed  with  bark  and  pro 
tected  by  fences  of  strong  round  pickets  The  trader  enters 
at  the  gate,  and  sees  before  him  an  extensive  square  area  sur 
rounded  by  high  palisades.  Numerous  houses,  barracks,  and 
other  buildings  form  a  smaller  square  within,  and  in  the  vacant 
space  which  they  enclose  appear  the  red  uniforms  of  British 
soldiers,  the  gray  coats  of  Canadians,  and  the  gaudy  Indian 
blankets  mingled  in  picturesque  confusion ;  while  a  multitude  of 
squaws  with  children  of  every  hue  stroll  restlessly  about  the 
place.  Such  was  Fort  Michillimackinac  in  1763. 

A  peaceful  spot  this  was  for  the  scene  of  bloody 
savagery  which  was  shortly  to  be  enacted  in  its  pre- 

133 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


cincts.  The  Indians  who  were  neighbors  of  Michilli- 
mackinac  had  never  become  reconciled  to  the  English 
man's  presence  in  their  wilderness.  Many  of  these 
savages  had  fought  with  the  French  against  the  Eng 
lish  and  had  lost  relatives  or  friends  in  battle,  thus  lay 
ing  the  foundations  for  blood  feuds  which  in  the  Indian 
custom  could  only  be  wiped  out  with  blood.  In  addi 
tion  to  that,  their  leaders  were  conspirators  with  the 
great  Pontiac  in  his  aim  to  push  the  English  back 
beyond  the  mountains  whence  they  had  come  and  to 
restore  the  forests  to  the  savages.  When  news  came 
in  the  spring  of  1763  of  Pontiac's  activities  around 
Detroit,  the  O  jib  was  and  Ottawas  near  Michillimack- 
inac  determined  that  they,  too,  must  taste  of  blood. 
The  massacre  of  the  garrison  of  this  post  was  planned. 
The  Indians'  plans  were  laid  well  but  they  should 
not  have  had  the  uncontested  success  that  they  did 
have.  All  accounts  point  to  a  great  measure  of  care 
lessness  and  lack  of  sufficient  estimation  of  his  neigh 
bors  on  the  part  of  the  unhappy  commander  of  the 
garrison.  This  officer  was  Captain  Etherington  and 
with  him  were  about  thirty-five  men  and  the  full  com 
plement  of  under-officers.  Several  times  Etherington 
was  warned  that  the  red-skins  were  plotting  mischief, 
and  his  own  observation  might  have  acquainted  him 
with  this  fact  as  well.  Yet  with  true  British  phlegm 
he  waved  aside  all  suggestions  that  were  made  to  him 
and  even  went  so  far  as  to  threaten  to  punish  any  one 

134 


FORT  MICHILLIMACKINAC 


who  disturbed  his  garrison  with  stories  of  impending 
disaster.  It  is  not  remarkable  that  the  Indians  found 
him  unprepared. 

On  the  morning  of  the  fourth  of  June  the  weather 
was  warm  and  sultry.  It  was  his  majesty  King 
George's  birthday  and  for  this  reason  there  were  festal 
arrangements  at  the  fort.  The  soldiers  were  allowed 
liberty  to  wander  where  they  would,  in  or  out  of  the 
stockades,  and  the  Indians  had  permission  to  play  a 
game  of  ball  in  honor  of  the  day.  As  time  went  on  the 
fort  became  filled  with  Indians,  chiefs  and  humble  fol 
lowers  of  the  ranks,  old  hags,  young  women  and 
children. 

The  hour  for  the  ball  game  approached.  This  game 
of  ball,  or  baggataway  as  the  red  men  called  it,  was 
a  favorite  with  the  Indians.  It  was  very  much  like  the 
lacrosse  of  the  present  day,  in  fact  was  the  original  of 
that  game.  There  were  two  goals  and  the  players 
attempted  to  toss  a  ball  through  one  of  these  two  goals 
with  sticks.  They  were  not  allowed  to  use  their  hands 
to  throw  the  ball,  so  the  game  required  a  degree  of  skill 
as  well  as  agility  and  endurance. 

The  O  jib  was  and  the  Sacs,  two  rivals  of  long 
standing,  were  the  contestants  and  excitement  ran  high. 
Captain  Etherington,  with  one  of  his  lieutenants,  was 
lounging  at  the  gate  of  the  fort  whooping  on  the 
Ojibwas,  for  he  had  promised  them  that  he  would  bet 
on  their  side.  Suddenly  the  ball  arose  in  the  air  in  a 

135 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


graceful  curve  and  fell  within  the  walls  of  the  fort. 
The  players,  an  excited  mob,  burst  after  it  yelling.  Sus 
pecting  nothing,  Etherington  stepped  aside  with  a  laugh 
to  let  the  howling  mass  sweep  in  the  walls  of  the  citadel. 

The  Indians'  stratagem  had  been  completely  suc 
cessful.  Before  he  knew  what  was  being  done,  Ether 
ington,  with  his  lieutenant,  was  seized  and  bound,  while 
the  Indians,  reinforced  by  their  comrades  amongst  the 
spectators  of  the  game,  seized  tomahawks  which  the 
squaws  had  concealed  beneath  their  blankets  and  fell 
on  the  hapless  members  of  the  little  garrison.  There 
commenced  one  of  those  familiar  scenes  of  butchery 
with  which  border  tradition  and  the  accounts  of  wit 
nesses  who  escaped  have  made  us  familiar.  Men  were 
stricken  down  and  held  between  Indians'  knees  while 
they  were  scalped,  still  alive.  Women  and  children 
were  slaughtered.  Bodies  of  both  sexes  were  mangled. 
Frenzied  red  warriors  scooped  up  handfuls  of  blood 
and  drank  it  in  gulps.  Soon  the  chapter  was  ended. 
Only  a  few  of  the  little  garrison — kept,  like  Ethering 
ton,  on  account  of  rank  or  for  some  particular  reasons 
— were  left  alive. 

From  this  day  for  four  years  Fort  Michillimackinac 
was  without  a  garrison.  Then,  with  the  subjection  of 
the  red  tribes,  the  English  came  back  to  their  border 
posts  and  Michillimackinac  was  once  more  filled  with 
soldiery.  In  the  early  days  of  the  Revolution  the  walls 

136 


C  3 


FORT  MICHILLIMACKINAC 


of  the  fort  were  strengthened  and  the  garrison  was 
increased. 

The  strategic  location  of  the  fort  had  never  been 
advantageous  for  purposes  of  defence,  however,  so  in 
November,  1779,  Major  de  Peyster,  fearful  of  attacks 
by  the  Americans,  moved  his  garrison  over  to  the  little 
island  of  Michillimackinac  and  built  the  third  Fort 
Michillimackinac,  that  which  is  standing  to-day.  The 
location  which  Major  de  Peyster  chose  was  on  the 
southeastern  portion  of  the  island,  which  is  three  miles 
wide  and  seven  miles  long,  and  there  is  a  fine  harbor 
at  the  point  chosen  for  the  location  of  the  fort.  This 
third  fort  Michillimackinac  was  occupied  by  the  British 
on  July  15,  1780,  but  was  not  used  by  them  during 
the  Revolution.  In  1796  it  was  turned  over  to  an 
American  garrison  as  the  sequel  of  an  extensive  cor 
respondence  between  the  young  new  nation  and  its 
tenacious  old  mother  country. 

As  it  was  necessary  to  know  what  disposition  to 
make  of  her  newly-acquired  border  forts,  the  United 
States  at  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century  despatched 
a  certain  Uriah  Tracy  to  visit  the  frontier  of  the  coun 
try  and  report  on  the  condition  of  the  fortifications 
there.  His  letter  about  Michillimackinac,  preserved 
in  the  War  Department  files,  gives  a  picture  of  the 
place  in  December,  1800.  The  body  of  the  letter 
follows : 

137 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


HON.  SAMUEL  DEXTER,  Secretary  of  War: 

In  consequence  of  your  predecessor's  request  to  visit  post 
in  the  Western  territory  I  proceeded  to  Plattsburg  .  .  .  and 
on  to  Michillimackinac.  Our  fort  at  Michillimackinac  is  one  of 
our  most  important  posts.  It  stands  on  an  island  in  the  straits 
which  lead  from  Lake  Michigan  into  Lake  Huron  four  or  five 
miles  from  the  head  of  the  strait.  Fort  Michillimackinac  is  an 
irregular  work  partly  built  with  a  strong  wall  and  partly  with 
pickets  ;  and  the  parade  ground  within  it  is  from  100  to  125  feet 
above  the  surface  of  the  water.  It  contains  a  well  of  never-fail 
ing  water,  a  boom  proof  used  as  a  magazine,  one  stone  barracks 
for  the  use  of  the  officers,  equal  if  not  superior  to  any  building 
of  the  kind  in  the  United  States,  a  good  guard-house  and  bar 
racks  for  soldiers  and  convenient  store-houses  for  produce,  etc., 
with  three  strong  and  convenient  block-houses.  This  post  is 
strong  both  by  nature  and  by  art  and  the  possession  of  it  has  a 
great  influence  with  the  Indians  in  favor  of  the  United  States. 
The  whole  island  on  which  the  fort  is  situated  belongs  to  the 
United  States  and  is  five  or  six  miles  in  length  and  two  or  three 
miles  in  width.  On  the  bank  of  the  strait  adjacent  to  the  fort 
stands  a  large  house  which  was  by  the  English  called  Govern 
ment  House  and  was  kept  by  the  British  commander  of  the  fort 
which  now  belongs  to  the  United  States. 

The  island  and  the  country  about  it  is  remarkably  healthy 
and  very  fertile  for  so  high  a  northern  latitude. 

URIAH  TRACY. 

The  breaking  out  of  the  War  of  1812  found  only 
57  soldiers  under  Lieutenant  Porter  Hanks  at  Fort 
Michillimackinac.  Moreover,  the  federal  authorities  at 
Washington  neglected  to  notify  several  of  their  border 
forts  that  war  had  been  declared.  Accordingly  when 

138 


FORT  MICHILLIMACKINAC 


Captain  Roberts,  in  command  of  a  British  force  con 
sisting  of  English  soldiers,  volunteers  and  Indians  to 
the  number  of  about  900,  descended  upon  the  little 
post,  Michillimackinac  was  not  in  the  attitude  of 
resistance. 

Thus  captured  by  the  British,  the  post  was  a  most 
important  stronghold  for  them  during  the  continuance 
of  the  conflict  between  the  two  countries.  Not  only 
did  it  give  them  a  base  of  great  strategic  possibilities, 
but  its  easy  capture  had  an  immense  moral  effect  upon 
the  Indian  tribes  round  about,  bringing  many  of  these 
tribes  to  the  British  aid  and  being  the  direct  cause  of 
much  of  the  Indian  trouble  that  Americans  suffered 
on  the  western  frontier  at  this  time. 

The  English  set  to  energetically  fortifying  the  point 
as  soon  as  they  had  assumed  charge.  A  hill-top  back 
of  Fort  Michillimackinac  became  the  site  for  a  block 
house  which  is  standing  to  this  day,  and  the  walls  of 
Mackinac  were  strengthened  and  made  greater.  A 
letter  from  R.  McDouall,  the  British  commander,  of 
date  July  17,  1814,  says: 

I  am  doing  my  utmost  to  prepare  for  their  (the  American) 
reception.  Our  new  works  on  the  hill  overlooking  the  old  fort 
are  nearly  completed  and  the  block-house  in  the  centre  will  be 
finished  this  week,  which  will  make  the  position  one  of  the 
strongest  in  Canada.  Its  principal  defect  is  the  difficulty  of 
finding  water  near  it,  but  that  obviated  and  a  sufficient  supply 
of  provisions  laid  in,  no  force  that  the  enemy  can  bring  will  be 
able  to  reduce  it. 

139 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


The  Englishman's  opinion  of  the  invulnerability 
to  attack  of  his  block-house  was  proved  by  events  and 
was  evidently  shared  by  the  Americans,  for,  when  they 
came  in  force  against  Michillimackinac,  they  attacked 
from  a  different  quarter.  The  American  forces  were 
under  the  command  of  Colonel  Croghan  and  Major 
Holmes,  who  was  beloved  throughout  the  American 
army  for  his  engaging  personality  and  many  fine  qual 
ities.  During  the  short  and  unsuccessful  attack  Holmes 
was  mortally  hurt.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  war,  when 
Michillimackinac  and  its  new  block-house  were  sur 
rendered  by  Great  Britain  to  the  United  States,  the 
name  of  this  talented  young  officer  was  applied  to  the 
block-house.  The  surrender  of  Michillimackinac  took 
place  July  18,  1815. 

From  the  date  of  its  surrender  until  1895  Fort 
Michillimackinac  was  regularly  garrisoned  by  United 
States  troops,  but  in  this  latter  year  the  garrison  was 
withdrawn  and  the  works  were  left  in  the  charge  of  a 
caretaker.  The  block-houses  were  in  rather  dilapidated 
condition  and  the  grounds  had  become  overgrown  when, 
in  1909,  the  Mackinac  Island  State  Park  Commission 
of  Michigan  was  created  and  in  the  hands  of  this  or 
ganization  the  old  fort  has  fared  well.  The  block-house 
has  been  restored  and  the  grounds  of  the  fort  and  its 
buildings  have  been  maintained  at  the  public  expense. 
Every  year  Michillimackinac  is  visited  by  sight-seers 
and  the  island  is  a  popular  summering  place  for  many. 

140 


FORT  MASSAC 

NEAR  METROPOLIS— ILLINOIS 


HE  far  too  far-seeing  French  in 
1702,  in  furtherance  of  their  de 
sign  of  dominion  in  North  Amer 
ica,  despatched  a  detachment  of 
about  thirty  men  from  Kas- 
kaskia  under  the  temporal  com 
mand  of  M.  Juchereau  de  St. 
Denis  and  the  spiritual  direction  of  fiery  Father  Mer- 
met  to  establish  a  trading  post,  mission  and  fort,  as 
near  as  convenient  to  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio  River  to 
guard  the  southern  access  to  this  vital  means  of  travel. 
The  result  of  this  expedition  was  the  establishment  of 
Fort  Massac,  the  site  of  the  future  little  city  of  Metrop 
olis,  Illinois. 

Consider  the  map  as  it  is  to-day,  showing  Metrop 
olis  and  the  surrounding  country,  and  see  the  fine 
position  that  Fort  Massac  had  in  the  day  of  its  estab 
lishment  :  It  was  about  thirty-six  miles  above  the  mouth 
of  the  Ohio,  quite  far  enough  up  to  be  out  of  the  reach 
of  any  flood  of  that  great  torrent  and  also  to  be  beyond 
the  convenient  call  of  marauding  expeditions  which 
might  be  making  the  Mississippi  their  route  north;  it 
faced  to  the  south  the  mouth  of  the  Tennessee  River 
and  was  not  far  from  where  the  Cumberland  and 
Wabash  rivers  joined  their  courses  to  the  Ohio,  and 
thus  it  had  fine  trading  advantages.  Therefore  it  is 

141 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


not  to  be  wondered  at  that  for  a  time  the  new  post 
flourished  mightily.  Juchereau  traded  and  Father  Mer- 
met  preached  to  satisfied  savages  and  Frenchmen. 

Of  Father  Mermet's  work  it  has  been  said  that  his 
gentle  virtues  in  every-day  life  and  his  fervid  eloquence 
in  the  spiritual  rostrum  made  him  beloved  and  respected 
by  all 

At  early  dawn  his  pupils  came  to  church  dressed  neatly 
and  modestly  each  in  a  deer-skin  or  robe  sewn  together  from 
several  skins.  After  receiving  lessons  they  chanted  canticle; 
mass  was  then  said  in  presence  of  all  the  Christians,  the 
French  and  the  converts — the  women  on  one  side  and  the  men 
on  the  other.  From  prayers  and  instructions  the  missionaries 
proceeded  to  visit  the  sick  and  administer  medicine,  and  their 
skill  as  physicians  did  more  than  all  the  rest  to  win  confidence. 
In  the  afternoon  the  catechism  was  taught  in  the  presence  of 
the  young  and  old,  when  every  one,  without  distinction  of  rank 
or  age,  answered  the  questions  of  the  missionary.  At  evening 
all  would  assemble  at  the  chapel  for  instruction,  for  prayer  and 
to  chant  the  hymns  of  the  Church.  On  Sunday  and  festivals, 
even  after  vespers,  a  homily  was  pronounced;  at  the  close  of 
the  day  parties  would  meet  in  houses  to  recite  the  chaplets  in 
alternate  choirs  and  sing  psalms  till  late  at  night.  Saturday 
and  Sunday  were  the  days  appointed  for  confession  and  com 
munion  and  every  convert  confessed  once  in  a  fortnight.  The 
success  of  this  mission  was  such  that  marriages  of  the  French 
immigrants  were  sometimes  solemnized  with  the  daughters  of 
the  Illinois  according  to  the  rites  of  the  Catholic  church. 

Tradition  says  that  the  site  of  Massac  had  been  used 
by  de  Soto  for  a  palisade  in  1542,  but  whether  this  is 

142 


MEMORIAL  MONUMENT 

(Erected  by  Illinois  Daughters  American  Revolution) 


From  the  River 
FORT  MASSAC,  ON  THE  OHIO  ( LA  BELLE  RIVIERE ) 


FORT  MASSAC 


true  there  is  no  positive  evidence  to  prove.  Juchereau' s 
settlement  consisted  of  a  palisaded  fort,  a  trading  house, 
several  log  cottages  and  the  chapel  which  Mermet  christ 
ened  "  Assumption,"  and  this  name  was  applied  to  the 
entire  settlement  for  some  years.  The  name  "  Massac  " 
did  not  originate  until  half  a  century  later.  For  a  time, 
indeed,  the  point  was  known  as  the  "  Old  Cherokee 
Fort." 

Juchereau  was  removed  from  Massac  and  went  to 
the  southern  waters  of  the  Mississippi,  where  he  found 
many  large  "  fish  to  fry  "  which  need  not  be  described 
in  this  chapter,  and  the  good  Father  Mermet  was  taken 
back  to  Kaskaskia.  Deprived  of  its  mainsprings  in 
this  fashion,  the  little  post  began  to  languish  and  shortly 
came  to  grief  because  of  rising  disaffection  among  the 
surrounding  Indians.  The  place  was  abandoned  by 
the  French  fleeing  for  their  lives  and  leaving  behind 
them  thirteen  thousand  buffalo  skins  which  were  eagerly 
seized  by  the  India'ns  from  whom  they  had  been  pur 
chased  at  the  rate  of  munificence  usual  to  those  days. 
Tradition  has  it  that  the  post  was  re-established  by 
adventurers  shortly  after  its  abandonment  and  was  used 
as  a  trading  centre  pure  and  simple,  but  the  once  lively 
little  foundation  of  Juchereau  and  Mermet  was  not 
again  conspicuous  in  the  events  of  that  border  until 
the  French  and  Indian  War  of  1756-63. 

During  this  time  it  was  a  rendezvous  for  the  French 
on  the  Ohio  River  and  was  their  last  defence  in  the 

143 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


campaign  of  the  English  which  finally  wrested  La  Belle 
Riviere  from  the  lilies  of  France.  In  1756  French  sol 
diers  landed  here  in  force,  threw  up  earthworks  and 
erected  a  stockade  with  four  bastions  mounting  eight 
cannon.  Henceforth  in  French  records  the  site  was 
known  as  Fort  Massac.  In  1763,  by  the  terms  of  the 
Treaty  of  Paris,  Massac  became  an  English  possession 
together  with  all  of  the  rest  of  the  French  strongholds 
in  North  America,  but  it  was  not  until  the  spring  of 
1765  that  the  troops  of  France  finally  marched  out  from 
the  fort.  The  English  during  the  thirteen  years  that 
they  held  the  Illinois  country  never  occupied  the  point 
with  troops. 

The  event  in  which  Fort  Massac  played  a  part,  which 
was  to  have  the  greatest  influence  in  its  section,  took 
place,  however,  not  during  its  French  and  Indian  days, 
but  later,  when  the  American  colonies  were  asserting 
their  independence  of  the  Mother  Country.  All  of  the 
Illinois  country  was  held  then  by  His  Majesty's  troops, 
but  it  was  common  information  that  the  French  in 
habitants  of  the  conquered  country  were  not  extraor 
dinarily  well  disposed  to  their  rulers  and  that  the  gar 
risons  of  the  English  strongholds  here  had  been  largely 
reduced  to  aid  the  fight  on  the  eastern  sea-coast.  Ac 
cordingly  it  entered  the  head  of  one  George  Rogers 
Clark,  a  daring  borderman  of  twenty-six  years,  Vir 
ginian  by  birth,  that  it  would  not  be  an  impossible  task 
to  take  from  the  English  by  force  the  country  which 

144 


FORT  MASSAC 


they  had  in  this  manner  seized  from  the  French.  June, 
1778,  saw  him  landing  at  Fort  Massac,  then  ungar- 
risoned,  with  a  small  body  of  men,  and  this  same  day 
probably  saw  the  American  flag  unfurled  for  the  first 
time  west  of  the  Ohio  River,  as  it  is  confidently  be 
lieved  that  Clark  brought  a  copy  of  the  new  standard 
with  him.  From  Fort  Massac  the  expedition  set  out 
and  achieved  the  ends  which  its  commander  f orevisioned 
with  many  deeds  of  daring.  It  opened  the  gates  to 
American  settlement  of  all  the  northwest  country  of 
the  United  States. 

Fort  Massac  was  not  occupied  by  troops  until  1794, 
when,  in  view  of  probable  collision  with  Spain  and 
France,  Washington  despatched  Major  Thomas  Doyle, 
of  the  United  States  Army,  to  rebuild  and  occupy  the 
post.  This  was  done  and  for  some  years  it  was  of  im 
portance.  In  1797  about  thirty  families  had  settled  in 
the  neighborhood,  Captain  Zebulon  Pike  being  in  com 
mand  of  a  garrison  of  eighty-three  men.  At  different 
times  General  Anthony  Wayne  and  James  Wilkinson 
occupied  the  fort  as  their  head-quarters.  In  1812  it  was 
garrisoned  by  a  Tennessee  volunteer  regiment,  but  at 
the  close  of  that  conflict  the  fort  was  evacuated  once 
more. 

In  1855,  according  to  an  account  of  Governor  Rey 
nolds,  of  Illinois,  Fort  Massac  was  in  good  condition. 
The  walls,  135  feet  square,  were  strong  and  at  each 
corner  was  a  stout  bastion.  A  large  well  of  sweet  water 

10  145 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


was  within  the  fortress  and  the  walls  were  palisaded 
with  earth  between  the  wood. 

The  site  of  old  Fort  Massac  is  to-day  a  State  park 
and  the  Illinois  chapter  of  the  Daughters  of  the  Amer 
ican  Revolution  have  restored  the  old  fort  as  far  as 
possible  to  the  form  that  it  bore  at  the  time  of  the  Revo 
lution.  It  is  additionally  interesting  as  being  the  sole 
survivor  of  that  long  line  of  forts  with  which  the  French 
hoped  to  hold  the  Ohio  River. 


WEST   POINT,    ITS   ENVIRONS   AND 
STONY  POINT 

AT  ENTRANCE  TO  HUDSON  HIGHLANDS— NEW  YORK 


HE  long  trough  of  land  which 
runs  384  miles  from  New  York 
to  Montreal,  consisting  of  the 
Hudson  River  Valley,  Lakes 
George  and  Champlain  and  the 
Richelieu  River  Valley,  is  with 
out  doubt  the  most  vital  of 
American  natural  highways  and  its  importance  has  been 
recognized  from  the  earliest  days  of  American  history. 
The  French  in  the  days  when  the  lilies  of  France  waved 
over  half  of  the  American  continent  sent  their  war 
parties  down  this  depression  to  prey  upon  the  English 
settlements,  and  hence  came  about  the  building  of 
Ticonderoga  at  the  northern  entrance  to  the  long  march. 
The  American  colonists  years  afterward,  when  they  had 
need  to  defend  the  southern  mouth  of  the  valley,  forti 
fied  West  Point  and  its  neighboring  points  and  crags, 
their  first  cover  being  taken  at  Peekskill  some  three  or 
four  miles  south  of  West  Point.  It  will  be  remem 
bered  that  in  1777  came  about  that  menacing  campaign 
in  the  Hudson  in  which  the  British  from  the  south 
under  Sir  Henry  Clinton  and  in  the  north  under  Gen 
eral  Burgoyne  attempted  a  juncture  of  forces  at 
Albany,  the  intention  being  to  divide  the  American 
colonies  along  the  line  of  the  historic  Hudson  Valley 

147 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


and  then  to  reduce  each  half  at  leisure  while  the  British 
fleet  prevented  any  efforts  at  union  by  way  of  the 
sea-coast.  Burgoyne  surrendered  in  October  of  that 
year  at  Saratoga,  which  is  roughly  half  way  between 
Lake  George  and  Albany,  but  to  Sir  Henry  Clinton, 
whose  campaign  was  one  of  disaster  to  the  Americans, 
a  few  moments  may  be  given  in  profitable  speculation. 

The  American  forces  opposed  to  Clinton  on  the 
lower  Hudson  consisted  of  about  1200  Continentals 
under  the  command  of  the  choleric  old  General  Israel 
Putnam  and  were  concentrated  several  miles  south  of 
West  Point,  where  three  forts  had  been  built  at  great 
expense  earlier  in  the  year.  Fort  Independence  was 
on  the  east  side  of  the  Hudson  just  north  of  Peekskill; 
Forts  Clinton  and  Montgomery  were  on  the  west  side 
directly  opposite,  Montgomery  being  the  more  northern 
of  the  two.  South  of  the  location  of  the  forts  stood 
Dunderberg  Mountain,  outpost  of  the  highlands  of  the 
Hudson.  The  river  was  obstructed  by  a  boom  and 
chain  opposite  Fort  Montgomery  and  protected  from 
British  approach  by  two  frigates  on  the  northern  side 
of  the  chain. 

Forts  Clinton  and  Montgomery  were  under  the 
command  of  General  James  Clinton,  brother  of  the 
recently-elected  Governor  George  Clinton  of  New 
York,  at  this  moment  attending  a  session  of  the  legis 
lature  at  Kingston.  Hearing  of  the  approach  of  the 
British  against  the  forts,  he  adjourned  the  legislature 

148 


S.   ^ 

El 

I-2 


°  5 
s  .^ 
E  z 


s 

5 

H 


WEST  POINT  AND  STONY  POINT 

and  hastened  to  his  brother's  assistance  with  such  militia 
as  he  could  gather. 

This  completes  the  convocation  of  the  Clintons  in 
this  engagement;  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  in  command  of 
the  British  forces,  General  James  Clinton,  in  command 
of  the  two  western  forts ;  and  Governor  George  Clinton, 
hastening  to  the  aid  of  brother  James  at  Fort  Clinton. 

The  approach  of  the  British  caused  General  Put 
nam  to  place  his  Continentals  on  the  eastern  shore  be 
hind  Peekskill  and  to  bring  over  from  the  western  shore 
a  large  force  to  reinforce  his  own.  The  British  galleys 
advanced  far  enough  up  the  river  to  prevent  communica 
tion  between  the  two  American  bodies,  and  it  then 
became  plain  that  it  had  been  the  hope  of  the  English 
commander  to  cause  the  Americans  to  divide  their 
forces  by  making  a  feint  at  the  eastern  shore  where 
Putnam  supposed  that  the  strength  of  the  British 
would  be.  The  Americans  had  played  into  his  hands. 
On  the  morning  of  the  6th  of  October  Sir  Henry 
Clinton  landed  his  main  forces  on  the  western  shore, 
and  by  sending  a  detachment  around  D  under  berg 
Mountain  managed  to  attack  Forts  Clinton  and  Mont 
gomery  from  the  rear  while  another  force  engaged  them 
from  the  south. 

The  result  of  this  engagement  was  that  while  the 
Americans  fought  pluckily  they  were  overcome  by  the 
British,  with  a  loss  of  250  killed,  wounded  and  missing, 
as  opposed  to  the  British  casualty  list  of  40  killed  and 

149 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


150  wounded,  and  that  the  two  western  forts  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  English.  The  boom  and  chain  across 
the  river  were  destroyed,  and  the  British  fleet  sailed  up 
the  river  and  attacked  Fort  Constitution  on  Constitu 
tion  Island  opposite  West  Point.  Fort  Constitution 
was  hastily  abandoned. 

Such  a  signal  success  on  Sir  Henry  Clinton's  part 
should  have  caused  him  to  push  quickly  on  to  effect  a 
junction  with  Burgoyne,  who  had  written  him  of  his 
desperate  straits  at  the  northern  end  of  the  Hudson, 
but,  having  done  this  much,  the  English  knight  seemed 
to  think  that  nothing  more  was  expected  of  him,  for, 
beyond  sending  a  marauding  expedition  up  the  Hudson 
as  far  as  Kingston,  he  made  no  further  northern  ad 
vance  and  retired  to  New  York  with  his  entire  force. 
Had  he  joined  Burgoyne  in  time  to  prevent  the  capitu 
lation  of  the  latter,  it  is  probable  that  the  whole  history 
of  this  country  would  have  been  written  in  another 
fashion  from  that  date. 

Fort  Constitution,  which  held  so  short  an  argument 
with  the  British  fleet  opposite  West  Point,  was  the 
first  fortification  of  the  series  of  works  which  lie  in  the 
vicinity  of  West  Point.  In  August,  1775,  a  commit 
tee  appointed  by  the  State  of  New  York  and  consist 
ing  of  Isaac  Sears,  John  Berrien,  Christopher  Miller, 
Captain  Samuel  Bayard  and  Captain  William  Bedlow, 
began  the  erection  of  forts  and  batteries  in  the  vicinity 
of  West  Point.  As  an  adviser  to  this  committee  Ber- 

150 


WEST  POINT  AND  STONY  POINT 

nard  Romans,  an  English  engineer,  was  employed,  and 
under  his  direction  Martelaer's  rock,  now  Constitution 
Island,  was  chosen  for  the  site  of  the  principal  forti 
fication.  The  fort,  which  was  commenced  under 
Romans's  supervision  but  finished  by  another  military 
architect,  was  named  Constitution  and  cost  altogether 
about  $25,000.  The  remains  of  the  fort  are  still  visible 
on  the  island,  the  outlines  of  the  walls  being  discernible, 
with  the  location  of  the  principal  point. 

After  the  retreat  of  Sir  Henry  Clinton  from  before 
West  Point, — a  voluntary  retreat,  it  should  be  ob 
served, — the  Americans  saw  that  they  must  strengthen 
their  defences  at  this  place.  Anxious  to  have  the  passes 
here  strongly  guarded,  General  Washington  wrote  to 
General  Putnam,  asking  that  he  would  give  his  most 
particular  attention  to  the  matter.  Duty  called  Put 
nam  to  Connecticut  and  little  was  done  in  the  matter 
until  the  arrival  of  General  Macdougal,  who  took  com 
mand  on  March  20,  1778,  by  whom  West  Point  was 
approved  as  the  location  of  the  principal  defences. 

There  now  comes  upon  the  scene  the  Polish  patriot 
Kosciuszko,  who  had  been  appointed  to  succeed  a 
French  engineer,  La  Radierre,  in  the  Hudson  High 
lands  and  who  had  taken  up  his  new  duties  coincident- 
ally  with  the  arrival  of  General  Macdougal.  Kos 
ciuszko  pushed  forward  the  construction  of  the  works 
with  great  vigor. 

151 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


The  principal  redoubt  was  constructed  of  logs  and 
earth,  was  600  feet  around  within  the  walls,  and  its 
embankments  were  14  feet  high  with  a  base  of  21  feet. 
The  work  was  situated  on  a  cliff  which  rises  187  feet 
above  the  river,  and  upon  its  completion  in  May  was 
named  Fort  Clinton.  The  remains  of  Fort  Clinton  are 
carefully  preserved  to-day  and  comprise  that  line  of 
grass-covered  mounds  which  edge  the  eastern  side  of 
the  plateau  on  which  West  Point  Academy  is  situated. 
In  the  midst  of  these  quiet  green  mounds  stands  a  monu 
ment  to  Kosciuszko,  erected  by  the  corps  of  cadets  of 
1828.  From  the  ruins  a  beautiful  view  of  the  Hudson 
is  to  be  obtained,  though  the  new  buildings  of  the  Acad 
emy  cut  off  much  which  formerly  was  contained  in  the 
view  from  this  point. 

To  support  Fort  Clinton  works  were  constructed 
and  batteries  placed  on  the  hills  and  mountains  of 
West  Point.  On  Mount  Independence,  which  over 
hangs  the  military  school,  a  strong  fort  was  built  and 
named,  when  completed,  Fort  Putnam,  in  honor  of  the 
sturdy  patriot  of  Connecticut. 

The  remains  of  Fort  Putnam,  or  "  Old  Put,"  as  it 
came  to  be  known  in  the  neighborhood,  were  for  many 
years  the  scene  of  picnickers'  journeys  up  the  steep 
hill-side  whose  crest  it  crowns  and  for  many  years  were 
allowed  to  lie  in  a  condition  of  disorder  and  decay.  Of 
recent  years  the  United  States  Government  has  taken 
in  hand  the  old  works  and  has  restored  them  to  as  near 

152 


Fort  Putnam's  Rocky  Interior 


Kosciuszko  Monument 


The  Norlh  Wall,  "Old  Put" 
SKETCH  SNAP-SHOTS  OF  WEST  POINT'S  HISTORIC  MEMORIALS 


WEST  POINT  AND  STONY  POINT 

their  original  condition  as  can  be  learned.  The  walls 
have  been  rebuilt  where  necessary  and  the  brick  case 
mates  relaid.  The  result  is  that  Fort  Putnam  to-day  is 
the  best  preserved  and  most  interesting  of  the  souvenirs 
of  the  war-like  days  of  West  Point. 

A  rocky,  inhospitable  looking,  irregular  stone  en 
closure,  Fort  Putnam  to-day  gives  one  a  very  good  idea 
of  the  stern,  rude  conditions  with  which  our  forefathers 
labored  in  the  founding  of  our  republic.  From  the 
walls  of  the  fort  a  most  enchanting  prospect  is  to  be 
gained  from  any  direction,  enchanting  to  either  the 
lover  of  beautiful  natural  scenery  or  to  the  lover  of  his 
toric  memorials ;  for  the  Hudson  Valley  and  its  tower 
ing  hills  lie  out  before  one  to  any  point  of  the  compass. 
Upon  the  points  of  these  high  hills  were  located  bat 
teries  and  strong  works  in  the  days  when  Putnam  was 
young,  each  battery  and  work  with  its  quota  of  rough 
colonial  militia  determined  to  fight  to  the  last  man 
against  the  trained  soldiers  of  Europe.  South  of  Fort 
Putnam  were  two  small  works  known  as  Fort  Wyllys 
and  Fort  Webb  upon  the  eminences  to  be  seen  from 
"  Put."  On  the  crown  of  Sugar  Loaf  Mountain  was  a 
redoubt  known  as  South  Battery. 

In  addition  to  the  construction  of  Forts  Clinton  and 
Putnam  and  their  supporting  batteries,  Fort  Constitu 
tion  was  strengthened  and  re-garrisoned,  and  between 
West  Point  and  Constitution  Island  was  stretched  a 
huge  iron  chain,  links  of  which  are  preserved  in  the 

153 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


museum  at  West  Point.  The  chain  was  manufactured 
by  Peter  Townshend,  of  the  Stirling  Iron  Works, 
Orange  County,  and  was  made  of  links  two  feet  in 
length  and  in  weight  over  140  pounds  each. 

At  the  close  of  1779  West  Point  was  considered  the 
strongest  military  post  in  America,  and  a  large  quantity 
of  gunpowder,  provisions  and  munitions  of  war  was 
collected  there.  These  considerations,  in  addition  to 
the  strategic  value  of  the  place,  made  of  it  a  great  prize 
for  the  enemy,  who  tried  in  various  ways  to  seize  it  for 
his  own.  Yet  the  great  menace  to  the  place  lay  not 
without,  where  the  British  soldiers  were,  but  within, 
and  the  story  of  that  fact  is  one  of  the  saddest  things 
of  American  history. 

The  treason  of  Benedict  Arnold  had  its  setting  at 
West  Point,  though  its  foundations  were  laid  months 
before  he  assumed  command  of  this  important  locale. 
Indeed,  at  the  moment  of  Arnold's  appointment  to  the 
command  of  West  Point,  the  American  general  had 
been  in  correspondence  with  Sir  Henry  Clinton  for 
eighteen  months. 

It  is  supposed  that  the  defection  of  Arnold  and  his 
plans  for  the  surrender  of  West  Point  began  in  Phila 
delphia  during  the  winter  of  1778,  when  he  was  ap 
pointed  governor-general  of  that  city  after  the  evacua 
tion  by  the  British.  Fond  of  show  and  feeling  the 
importance  of  his  station,  he  began  to  live  in  style  far 
beyond  his  income,  and  pecuniary  embarrassments 

154 


WEST  POINT  AND  STONY  POINT 


began  to  multiply  around  him.  He  lived  in  the  mansion 
that  had  once  sheltered  William  Perm  (and  which  is  still 
standing) ,  kept  a  coach  and  four,  and  gave  splendid  ban 
quets.  When  impatient  creditors  began  to  press  him 
for  funds,  he  resorted  to  devious  ways  of  raising  money. 
So  open  did  the  scandal  become  of  his  indecent  use  of 
his  position  for  private  gain  that  charges  were  laid 
against  him  before  Congress  implying  abuse  of  power, 
and  the  whole  matter  was  handed  over  to  Washington 
to  have  tried  before  a  military  tribunal.  The  verdict 
in  the  trial  was  rendered  January  26,  1780,  after  a 
lengthy  consideration  of  the  case,  and  two  of  the  four 
charges  against  Arnold  were  sustained.  Washington 
was  ordered  to  reprimand  the  officer,  convicted  by  a 
jury  of  his  peers,  and  did  so  in  as  kind  a  fashion  as  ever 
a  reprimand  was  given.  Indeed,  at  the  time,  Washing 
ton,  himself,  came  in  for  censure  because  his  reprimand 
was  so  ambiguously  worded  that  it  might  be  construed 
to  praise  the  impetuous  warrior  who  had  fought  for 
the  new  republic  rather  than  to  reprove  the  errant  ad 
ministrator.  However,  from  this  time  it  is  supposed 
that  Arnold  planned  to  benefit  himself  and  to  deal  the 
American  cause  a  vital  blow. 

The  military  importance  of  West  Point  being  plain, 
it  was  equally  plain  that  the  British  would  be  willing 
to  pay  handsomely  for  its  surrender.  Arnold  settled 
upon  the  place  as  the  prize  that  his  treachery  should 
hold  out  to  the  English,  and  by  various  pieces  of  wire- 

155 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


pulling  succeeded  in  having  himself  appointed  its  com- 
mander-in-chief .  The  general  opinion  of  this  American 
leader  then  was  that  he  was  headstrong  and  self-willed 
but  not  characterless.  His  impetuosity  and  violence 
were  esteemed  good  qualities,  which  fitted  him  for  the 
work  of  the  soldier  while  they  unfitted  him  for  admin 
istrative  duties.  His  good  will  toward  his  fellow-coun 
trymen  was  not  doubted.  In  August,  1780,  Arnold 
took  command  of  West  Point  and  made  his  head 
quarters  in  a  rambling  old  house  which  had  belonged 
to  Colonel  Beverly  Robinson,  Colonel  Robinson  having 
espoused  the  English  side  of  the  quarrel  during  the 
Revolutionary  War  and  having  been  obliged  to  take 
refuge  in  the  English  lines  in  consequence. 

The  chief  correspondent  of  Arnold  in  the  English 
ranks  was  Major  Andre,  and  for  a  long  time  Sir  Henry 
Clinton  did  not  know  the  identity  of  the  American  gen 
eral  with  whom  Andre  was  in  communication.  To  his 
missives  Arnold  affixed  the  signature  of  Gustavus  and 
wrote  in  the  character  of  a  commercial  correspondent 
of  a  business  house.  Andre  on  his  part  signed  his  letters 
John  Anderson. 

The  general  plan  by  which  Clinton  was  to  take 
possession  of  West  Point  through  Arnold's  connivance 
had  many  ramifications,  but  its  chief  text  as  concerns 
us  was  that  Clinton  should  make  a  strong  demonstra 
tion  against  the  post  and  that  Arnold,  after  a  weak  de 
fence,  should  yield  it  to  him.  The  final  negotiations 

156 


WEST  POINT  AND  STONY  POINT 


which  touched  the  amount  of  money  which  Arnold  was 
to  receive  for  his  treachery  were  concluded  by  Clinton 
through  the  intermediation  of  Andre,  who  assumed  the 
guise  of  a  spy  in  order  to  carry  out  his  commander's 
behests.  It  was  while  returning  from  this  trip  to 
Arnold's  headquarters  and  but  one  day  before  the  drama 
was  to  be  consummated  that  Andre  fell  into  the  hands 
of  American  forces  and  the  papers  which  he  bore  were 
brought  to  light. 

The  morning  of  the  24th,  the  day  set  by  Arnold 
for  his  surrender  to  Clinton,  dawned  bright  and  fine. 
Washington  was  expected  at  Arnold's  headquarters 
from  Hartford.  As  he  sat  at  breakfast  Arnold  re 
ceived  a  message  from  Colonel  Jameson,  stationed  to 
the  south,  which  contained  the  intelligence  not  that  the 
British  were  approaching,  but  that  a  Major  Andre  had 
been  captured.  Hastily  asking  to  be  excused,  Arnold 
made  his  way  to  the  room  of  his  young  wife,  the  beau 
tiful  Margaret  Shippen,  of  Philadelphia,  and  bade  her 
a  brief  farewell ;  then  he  let  himself  out  of  the  house  by 
a  back  way  and  took  a  short  path  to  the  water-shore 
where  he  summoned  a  boatman  and  had  himself  rowed 
to  the  British  fleet.  Washington  arrived  at  Arnold's 
headquarters  in  time  to  gather  up  the  loose  ends  of 
things  and  prevent  the  dreadful  catastrophe  that  the 
loss  of  the  strongest  of  the  American  positions  would 
have  meant. 

157 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


It  has  been  claimed  that  the  influence  of  Arnold's 
wife,  who  was  of  a  Tory  family  and  had  been  an  ardent 
British  sympathizer  before  her  marriage,  had  much  to 
do  with  Arnold's  desertion  from  the  cause  he  had  first 
embraced.  There  is  no  evidence  to  finally  set  at  rest 
this  conjecture.  Margaret  Shippen  had  many  friends 
amongst  the  British  officers  and  Major  Andre  was  the 
chief  amongst  these  friends,  but  there  is  no  reason  to 
believe  that  she  was  base  at  heart,  that  she  was  not  de 
voted  to  her  husband,  or  that  she  could  not  realize  how 
utter  would  be  his  undoing.  After  his  downfall  she  re 
joined  him  in  New  York  and  shared  with  him  patiently 
all  of  the  contempt  and  odium  that  were  his  portion  for 
the  rest  of  his  life,  from  American  and  English  alike. 

The  military  academy  at  West  Point  was  established 
by  Act  of  Congress  which  became  law  March  16,  1802. 
The  establishment  of  such  a  place  had  been  proposed 
to  Congress  by  Washington  in  1793,  and  even  before 
the  close  of  the  Revolution  he  had  suggested  such  an 
institution  and  had  even  fixed  on  West  Point  as  the 
location.  Little  was  done  in  the  matter  even  after  the 
act  of  Congress  of  1802,  until  in  1812,  by  a  second 
enactment,  a  corps  of  engineers  and  teachers  was  or 
ganized  and  the  school  actually  started.  The  beautiful 
buildings  of  the  Academy  are  the  fruit  of  the  last  gen 
eration's  labor. 

Stony  Point  lies  south  of  West  Point,  separating 

158 


WEST  POINT  AND  STONY  POINT 

Peekskill  Bay  on  the  north  from  Haverstraw  Bay  on 
the  south.  Opposite  is  Verplanck's  Point.  The  river 
here  is  very  narrow.  In  1779  Clinton  had  strongly  forti 
fied  Stony  Point,  thus  cutting  off  West  Point's  com 
munications  from  the  south  and  establishing  a  strong 
base  from  which  to  proceed  against  that  place.  Wash 
ington  saw  that  Stony  Point  must  be  captured. 

To  carry  out  his  bold  scheme — for  the  spot  was 
deemed  impregnable  to  assault — he  called  upon  General 
Anthony  Wayne — "  Mad  "  Anthony — and  asked  him  if 
he  would  undertake  such  a  commission.  "  General,  I'll 
storm  hell  if  you'll  only  plan  it,"  Wayne  is  said  to  have 
replied. 

The  situation  of  Stony  Point  was  a  fortress  in  itself. 
At  high  tide  it  was  practically  an  island,  the  ravine  on 
the  shore  side  through  which  the  railroad  passes  now-a- 
days  being  then  a  marshy  inlet  of  the  river.  From  the 
river  the  rock  rose  precipitously,  and  was  at  its  highest 
point  700  feet  above  tide. 

The  assault  was  made  under  cover  of  darkness,  July 
15,  1779,  the  American  forces  advancing  secretly  under 
the  guidance  of  an  old  negro  who  had  learned  the  watch 
word  of  the  fort  for  that  night.  This  watchword 
was,  "  The  Fort's  Our  Own."  The  phrase  has  been 
carved  above  the  doorway  of  the  reservation,  where  it 
may  be  seen  by  all  visitors  to-day.  One  by  one  the 
sentries  were  approached  and  overpowered,  and  the 

159 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


Americans  were  almost  within  the  walls  before  their 
presence  was  discovered.  By  two  o'clock  on  the  morning 
of  July  16  the  fort  was  the  possession  of  the  assailants. 

The  stores  of  the  English  were  destroyed  and  the 
post  was  evacuated. 

Stony  Point  is  now  a  public  reservation  of  the  State 
of  New  York.  The  battle-ground  is  in  charge  of  the 
American  Scenic  and  Historic  Preservation  Society, 
which  has  marked  the  locality  of  the  redoubts  and  of 
interesting  points. 


FORT  CONSTITUTION 
(FORT  WILLIAM  AND  MARY) 

GREAT  ISLAND  NEAR  PORTSMOUTH— NEW  HAMPSHIRE 


HE  records  of  the  War  Depart 
ment  at  Washington  say  that 
Fort  Constitution  reservation 
"  contains  twelve  acres.  It  is 
situated  on  a  rocky  projection 
in  the  Piscataqua  River  at  the 
entrance  to  the  harbor  of  the 
City  of  Portsmouth.  It  is  about  three  miles  below  the 
city  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  on  the  eastern  end  of 

*  Great  Island,'  being  the  most  eastern  end  of  New 
Hampshire.     It  was  formerly  an  English  fort  called 

*  William  and  Mary '   and  was  occupied  by  United 
States  troops  in  1806." 

The  location  of  Fort  Constitution  may  be  fixed  more 
exactly  by  saying  that  it  is  very  close  to  Newcastle,  one 
of  the  outlying  dependencies  of  Portsmouth.  A  long 
low  stone  structure  thrust  out  on  a  wave-washed  spit 
of  rock,  its  picturesque  appearance  stimulates  the  fancy 
of  every  visitor  who  approaches  Portsmouth  by  water. 

Adjoining  the  fort  is  a  light-house  erected  in  1771, 
and  on  a  rocky  eminence  overlooking  the  fort  is  a 
ruined  martello  tower  of  striking  aspect. 

The  history  of  Fort  Constitution  goes  back  to  the 
early  beginnings  of  settlement  on  the  New  England 
coast.  In  1665  the  commissioners  of  King  Charles  II 

11  161 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


began  to  erect  a  fortification  on  the  point  here,  but  were 
halted  by  the  prohibitions  of  the  Massachusetts  fathers. 
In  1700  there  existed  a  fort  on  Great  Island  and  prob 
ably  on  the  site  of  the  present  structure.  This  fort  was 
visited  by  the  Earl  of  Bellemont  and  declared  by  him 
incapable  of  defending  the  river,  notwithstanding  the 
fact  that  it  mounted  thirty  guns. 

A  new  defensive  structure  was  planned  by  Colonel 
Homer,  who  recommended  as  additional  works  a  strong 
tower  on  the  point  of  Fryer's  (Gerrish's)  Island  and 
batteries  on  Wood  and  Clark's  Islands.  His  main 
plans  were  carried  out  and  with  slight  alterations 
formed  the  fortification  which  was  known  at  the  time 
of  the  Revolutionary  ferment  as  Castle  William  and 
Mary,  its  name  sufficiently  emphasizing  the  period  of 
its  conception.  While  Castle  William  and  Mary  had 
an  honorable  career  in  a  passive  fashion  during  the 
French  wars  by  frightening  off  French  descents  upon 
the  flourishing  little  city  which  it  guards,  it  does  not 
spring  into  the  lime-light  until  1774,  when  it  becomes 
the  scene  of  the  first  capture  of  arms  made  by  the 
Americans  in  the  struggle  against  the  Mother  Country. 

In  the  year  we  have  under  consideration  the  Gov 
ernor  of  New  Hampshire  was  the  able  and  passionate 
Sir  John  Wentworth.  An  account  of  the  seizure  of 
the  supplies  at  Fort  William  and  Mary  may  be  suc 
cinctly  given  by  means  of  extracts  from  Sir  John's 
letters  of  that  period,  a  series  of  which  was  published 

162 


FORT  CONSTITUTION 


in  1869,  in  the  "  Historical  and  Genealogical  Register  " 
by  the  Honorable  John  Wentworth,  of  Chicago. 

In  a  letter  to  the  Earl  of  Dartmouth,  dated  Ports 
mouth,  December  20,  1774,  Governor  Wentworth  says: 

On  Tuesday  the  13th  instant,  in  the  afternoon,  one  Paul 
Revere  arrived  with  letters  from  some  of  the  leaders  in  Boston 
to  Mr.  Samuel  Cutts,  merchant,  of  this  town.  Reports  were 
soon  circulated  that  the  Fort  at  Rhode  Island  had  been  dis 
mantled  and  the  Gunpowder  and  other  military  stores  removed 
up  to  Providence  and  ...  it  was  also  falsely  given  out  that 
Troops  were  embarking  at  Boston  to  come  and  take  possession 
of  William  and  Mary  Castle  in  this  harbour.  These  rumors 
soon  raised  an  alarm  in  the  town;  and  although  I  did  not  ex 
pect  that  the  people  would  be  so  audacious  as  to  make  any  at 
tack  on  the  castle  yet  I  sent  orders  to  the  captain  at  the  fort  to 
be  upon  his  guard. 

On  Wednesday  news  was  brought  to  me  that  a  drum  was 
beating  about  the  town  to  collect  the  populace  together  in  order 
to  go  and  take  away  the  Gunpowder  and  dismantle  the  Fort. 
I  immediately  sent  the  Chief  Justice  of  the  Province  to  warn 
them  from  engaging  in  such  an  attempt.  He  went  to  them 
where  they  were  collected  in  the  centre  of  the  town  near  the 
townhouse,  explained  to  them  the  nature  of  the  offence  they 
proposed  to  commit,  told  them  it  was  not  short  of  Rebellion  and 
intreated  them  to  desist  from  it  and  to  disperse.  But  all  to  no 
purpose.  They  went  to  the  island  and,  being  joined  by  the 
inhabitants  of  the  towns  of  Newcastle  and  Rye,  formed  in  a  body 
of  about  four  hundred  men  and  the  Castle  being  in  too  weak  a 
condition  for  defence  (as  I  have  in  former  letters  explained  to 
your  lordship)  they  forced  their  entrance  in  spite  of  Captain 
Cochrane  who  defended  it  as  long  as  he  could ;  but  having  only 

163 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


the  assistance  of  five  men  their  numbers  overpowered  him. 
After  they  entered  the  Fort  they  seized  upon  the  captain  and 
triumphantly  gave  three  huzzas  and  hauled  down  the  King's 
colours.  They  then  put  the  captain  and  men  under  confine 
ment,  broke  open  the  Gunpowder  magazine  and  carried  off 
about  100  barrels  of  Gunpowder  but  discharged  the  Captain 
and  men  from  their  confinement  before  their  departure. 

On  Thursday,  the  15th,  in  the  morning  a  party  of  men 
came  from  the  country  accompanied  by  Mr.  (Gen.  John) 
Sullivan  one  of  the  New  Hampshire  delegates  to  the  Congress, 
to  take  away  the  cannon  from  the  Fort,  also.  Mr.  Sullivan 
declared  that  he  had  taken  pains  to  prevail  upon  them  to  re 
turn  home  again ;  and  said,  as  there  was  no  certain  intelligence 
of  troops  being  coming  to  take  possession  of  the  Castle,  he 
would  still  use  his  utmost  endeavors  to  disperse  them. 

While  the  town  was  thus  full  of  men  a  committee  from  them 
came  to  me  to  solicit  pardon  or  a  suspension  of  prosecution 
against  the  persons  who  took  away  the  Gunpowder.  I  told 
them  I  could  not  promise  them  any  such  thing;  but  if  they  dis 
persed  and  restored  the  gunpowder,  which  I  most  earnestly 
exhorted  them  to  do,  I  said  I  hoped  His  Majesty  may  be  thereby 
induced  to  consider  it  an  alleviation  of  the  offence.  They 
parted  from  me,  in  all  appearance,  perfectly  disposed  to  follow 
the  advice  I  had  given  them ;  and  having  proceeded  directly  to 
the  rest  of  their  associates  they  all  publickly  voted  ...  to 
return  home.  .  .  . 

But,  instead  of  dispersing,  the  people  went  to  the  Castle 
in  the  night  headed  by  Mr.  Sullivan  and  took  away  sixteen 
pieces  of  cannon,  about  sixty  muskets  and  other  military  stores 
and  brought  them  to  the  out  Borders  of  the  town. 

On  Friday  morning,  the  16th,  Mr.  Folsom,  the  other  dele 
gate,  came  to  town  that  morning  with  a  great  number  of  armed 

164 


-  niH 

I 

' 

- 

Ml)}.  I 


FORT  CONSTITUTION 


men  who  remained  in  Town  as  a  guard  till  the  flow  of  the  tide  in 
the  evening  when  the  cannon  were  sent  in  Gondolas  up  the  river 
into  the  country  and  they  all  dispersed  without  having  done 
any  personal  injury  to  any  body  in  the  town. 

On  the  Fourth  of  July,  1809,  an  explosion  of  powder 
took  place  at  Fort  Constitution  in  which  four  men  and 
three  boys  were  killed  and  a  number  of  bystanders 
wounded.  The  cause  of  the  explosion  was  the  care 
lessness  of  a  sergeant  with  a  lighted  fuse,  and  the 
unlucky  hour  that  he  chose  for  his  celebration  was  a 
time  when  his  colonel  (Colonel  Walbach)  had  a  number 
of  guests  to  dinner.  None  of  the  diners  were  injured, 
and  a  quaint  contemporary  account  tells  their  natural 
distress  at  various  of  the  phenomena  around  them. 
"  One  poor  fellow,"  says  this  account,  "  was  carried 
over  the  roof  of  the  house  and  the  upper  half  of  his 
body  lodged  on  the  opposite  side  near  the  window  of 
the  dining-room ;  the  limb  of  another  was  driven  through 
a  thick  door  over  the  dining-room  leaving  a  hole  in  the 
door  the  shape  of  the  foot." 

The  appearance  of  Fort  Constitution  to-day  is  not 
very  warlike  and  it  does  not  play  a  very  active  part 
in  the  city's  defences.  The  walls  of  the  older  part  of 
the  fort  are  of  rough  stone  topped  with  brick.  Over 
the  arch  of  the  sally-port  here  is  a  date,  1808.  These 
walls  have  been  partly  enclosed  by  unfinished  walls  of 
granite  of  later  construction. 

The  martello  tower,  to  which  reference  has  already 

165 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


been  had,  was  constructed  during  the  War  of  1812 
and  was  begun  one  Sunday  morning  while  two  British 
cruisers  were  lying  off  the  Isle  of  Shoals.  Its  pur 
pose  was  to  prevent  a  landing  on  the  beach  at  the  south 
side  of  the  main  work.  An  assault  on  that  work  was 
not  attempted  at  the  time,  but  who  can  say  that  the 
promptness  of  the  New  Hampshiremen  in  thus  adding 
to  their  defences  in  the  face  of  the  enemy  did  not  have 
its  moral  value  in  forestalling  an  attack?  The  tower 
had  three  embrasures. 


FORTS  TRUMBULL  AND  GRISWOLD 

NEW  LONDON  AND  GROTON,  ON  THE  THAMES— CONNECTICUT 


HE  sunny  waters  of  the  Thames 
at  New  London,  Connecticut, 
present  a  smiling  aspect,  and 
from  the  high  flag-staff  of  trig 
little  Fort  Trumbull  the  stars 
and  stripes  float  gaily.  Across  the 
river  on  the  hill  above  the  little 
town  of  Groton  is  the  State  reservation  containing  the 
remains  of  Fort  Griswold,  with  rough  zig-zag  paths 
approaching  the  summit  of  the  hill.  Adjacent  to  Fort 
Griswold  is  the  stone  monument  which  commemorates 
the  Fort  Griswold  massacre.  Many  sunny  years  will 
not  wipe  out  the  memory  of  the  bloody  deeds  of  that 
violent  hour. 

Fort  Trumbull  is  situated  one  mile  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Thames  River  and  one  mile  and  a  half  below  the 
little  city  of  New  London,  with  whose  history  it  is  asso 
ciated.  A  modest  work  of  substantial  construction,  it 
covers  only  thirteen  acres  and  is  so  restricted  for  living 
space  that  it  cannot  accommodate  a  full  garrison  within 
its  walls.  Fort  Griswold  is  a  work  of  far  more  ancient 
and  rougher  construction.  It  is  not  garrisoned  to-day 
and  has  not  been  garrisoned  for  many  years,  though  in 
the  fighting  days  of  the  two  forts  it  was  the  more 
important  of  the  two  places. 

The  little  village  of  New  London  is  a  favored  water- 

167 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


ing  place  for  many  in  summer  and  its  safe  and  acces 
sible  harbor  has  made  it  desirable  as  a  haven  for  the 
storage  of  summer  light  craft  during  the  winter  months. 
These  same  considerations  hold  true  of  Groton  on  the 
other  side  of  the  river.  Thousands  of  visitors  every 
summer  go  over  the  historic  defences  of  Fort  Griswold 
or  gaze  upon  the  equally  historic  site  of  Fort  Trumbull. 

The  erection  of  two  forts  was  begun  in  1775  by  the 
citizens  of  New  London  and  Groton,  one  on  the  west 
side  of  the  Thames  which  was  designated  in  the  cor 
respondence  of  the  time  as  a  "  block-house  with  em 
brasures,"  and  the  other,  a  more  pretentious  work,  on 
the  east  side  of  the  river  and  designated  at  once  "  Fort 
Trumbull."  In  1776  Washington  directed  General 
Knox  to  examine  the  harbor  of  New  London.  This 
gentleman  carried  out  his  commission  in  workmanlike 
fashion  and  reported  that  the  harbor  was  a  safe  and 
well-protected  retreat  for  vessels  in  any  wind  that  blew. 
The  harbor  is  three  miles  long  and  seldom  encumbered 
with  ice. 

In  that  same  year  Captain  Shapley  was  ordered  to 
take  command  of  Fort  Trumbull,  and  Colonel  William 
Ledyard  of  Fort  Griswold  on  Groton  Hill.  Later, 
Ledyard  was  placed  in  command  of  the  two  positions. 
In  1777  he  revised,  strengthened  and  enlarged  Fort 
Trumbull,  and  in  1778  performed  this  same  work  upon 
Fort  Griswold.  Under  his  direction,  in  1779,  strong 
works  were  thrown  up  on  Town  Hill,  New  London. 

168 


Fort  Griswold,  Groton 


Fort  Trumbull,  New  London 
HISTORIC  POINTS  ON  THE  THAMES  RIVER,  CONN. 


FORT  TRUMBULL 


Finally,  in  1780,  the  assembly  of  New  London  ordered 
his  accounts  paid. 

The  successful  operations  of  the  Continental  forces 
in  Virginia  in  1781  caused  Sir  Henry  Clinton  to  cast 
about  for  some  means  of  distracting  his  opponents  and 
of  recalling  Washington  from  the  South,  preferably 
by  some  deed  of  enterprise  in  the  North.  He  fixed  on 
New  London  as  the  scene  of  operations,  as  he  had 
heard  that  there  were  many  stores  in  the  little  town, 
and  as  the  leader  of  the  expedition  he  picked  out 
Benedict  Arnold,  the  traitor,  who  had  just  returned 
from  scenes  of  pillage  on  the  James  River,  Virginia. 
The  choice  of  Arnold  may  have  appealed  to  some 
saturnine  sense  of  humor  in  Clinton,  as  Connecticut, 
it  may  be  remembered,  was  Arnold's  native  State  and 
New  London  not  far  from  the  scenes  of  his  boyhood. 

The  little  works  at  New  London  and  Groton,  de 
spite  the  conscientious  efforts  of  Colonel  Ledyard, 
were  not  positions  of  much  consequence.  Fort  Trum- 
bull,  we  are  told,  was  merely  a  strong  breastwork  of 
three  sides,  and  open  in  the  rear,  mounting  eighteen 
12-pound  guns  and  three  6-pound  guns.  Its  garrison 
numbered  twenty-three  men.  Fort  Griswold  was  some 
what  more  formidable,  being  "  an  oblong  square  with 
bastions  at  opposite  angles,  its  longest  side  fronting 
the  river  in  a  northwest  and  southeast  direction,  its 
walls  of  stone  10  or  12  feet  high  on  the  lower  side  and 
surrounded  by  a  ditch;  in  the  wall  pickets  projected 

169 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


over  for  12  feet;  above,  a  parapet  with  embrasures  and 
within  a  platform  for  cannon,  with  a  step  to  mount  to 
shoot  over  the  parapet  with  small  arms." 

In  addition  to  these, — the  main  defences — there  was 
the  little  work  on  the  summit  of  Town  Hill,  New 
London,  which  mounted  six  small-bore  guns  and  which 
had  become  known  by  the  airy  title  of  "  Fort  Nonsense." 

It  being  manifestly  impossible  to  hold  Fort  Trum- 
bull  with  a  force  of  twenty-three  men,  the  Americans, 
on  the  approach  of  Arnold  and  the  British,  took  all  of 
their  forces  and  placed  them  in  Fort  Griswold.  At  its 
best  the  garrison  of  this  point  was  not  as  numerous  as 
the  attacking  body  and  it  was  made  up  of  untrained 
militia  gathered  at  the  moment's  call. 

The  result  of  the  battle,  when  battle  was  finally 
given,  was  a  foregone  conclusion.  The  British  soldiery 
landed  September  6,  1781,  and  advanced  in  force.  The 
plucky  American  garrison  tried  desperately  to  hold 
back  the  onslaught,  fighting  most  of  the  men  in  sight 
of  their  own  homes,  but  without  effect.  After  a  sharp 
engagement  the  fort  was  taken  and  the  conclusion  of 
the  combat  was  a  signal  to  Arnold's  forces  for  an  in 
discriminate  slaughter  of  the  Americans,  many  of  whom 
had  thrown  down  their  arms.  Of  the  160  men  making 
up  the  garrison  all  but  40  were  killed  or  wounded, 
and  the  vast  majority  of  them  after  resistance  had 
ceased.  The  wounded,  contemporary  testimony  asserts, 
were  placed  in  carts  under  Arnold's  direction  and 

170 


FORT  GRISWOLD 


dumped  over  the  edge  of  the  hill  here  which  is  very 
steep. 

The  British  then  entered  Groton  and  New  London 
and  set  them  on  fire.  Arnold  finally  led  his  forces  back 
to  New  York. 

To  commemorate  the  gallant  defence  of  Fort  Gris- 
wold  and  the  terrible  scenes  which  it  had  witnessed,  the 
State  of  Connecticut  began  the  erection  of  a  monu 
ment  on  Groton  Heights  in  1830  and  carried  the  shaft 
to  the  height  of  127  feet.  At  this  height  the  monu 
ment  rested  until  1881,  when  it  was  carried  eight  feet 
higher.  On  the  face  of  the  shaft  is  a  tablet  which 
bears  the  following  inscription: 

This  monument  was  erected  under  the  patronage  of  the 
State  of  Connecticut,  A.D.  1830  and  in  the  55th  year  of  the 
independence  of  the  United  States,  in  memory  of  the  brave  pa 
triots  who  fell  in  the  massacre  at  Fort  Griswold  on  this  spot  on 
the  6th  of  September,  A.D.  1781,  when  the  British  under  the 
command  of  the  traitor  Benedict  Arnold  burnt  the  towns  of 
New  London  and  Groton  and  spread  desolation  and  woe 
throughout  this  region. 

Various  spots  in  the  little  grounds  of  the  fort  have 
been  marked  with  tablets.  The  grounds  are  carefully 
maintained  and  are  open  to  visitors  at  all  times. 

Though  no  effort  was  ever  made  to  rebuild  Fort 
Griswold,  a  like  fate  did  not  befall  Fort  Trumbull.  At 
the  outbreak  of  the  War  of  1812  the  embankments  of 
Fort  Trumbull  were  nothing  but  green  mounds.  A 

171 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


formal  work  was  commenced,  leaving  the  old  block 
house  inside  the  new  lines.  During  this  war  the  fort 
was  often  threatened  but  never  attacked. 

An  anecdote  which  shows  the  spirit  of  the  locality 
is  retailed  by  Lossing: l 

When  the  British  squadron  which  drove  Decatur  into  the 
harbor  of  New  London  in  1813  menaced  the  town  with  bom 
bardment  the  military  force  that  manned  the  forts  were  defi 
cient  in  flannel  for  cannon  cartridges.  All  that  could  be  found 
in  New  London  was  sent  to  the  forts  and  a  Mr.  Latham,  a  neigh 
bor  of  Mrs.  Anna  Bailey's,  came  to  her  at  Groton  seeking  for 
more.  She  started  out  and  collected  all  the  petticoats  of  little 
children  that  she  could  find  in  town.  "  This  is  not  half  enough," 
said  Mr.  Latham  on  her  return.  "  You  shall  have  mine  too," 
said  Mrs.  Bailey  as  she  cut  with  her  scissors  the  string  that 
fastened  it,  and  taking  it  off  gave  it  to  Latham.  He  was  satis 
fied,  and,  hastening  to  Fort  Trumbull,  that  patriotic  contribu 
tion  was  soon  made  into  cartridges.  "  It  was  a  heavy  new  one 
but  I  did  not  care  for  that,"  said  the  old  lady  while  her  eyes 
sparkled.  "  All  I  wanted  was  to  see  it  go  through  the  English 
men's  insides."  Some  of  Decatur's  men  declared  that  it  was 
a  shame  to  cut  that  petticoat  into  cartridge  patterns;  they 
would  rather  see  it  fluttering  at  the  mast-head  of  the  United 
States  or  the  Macedonia  as  an  ensign  under  which  to  fight  upon 
the  broad  ocean. 

The  present  Fort  Trumbull  was  begun  in  1839  on 
the  foundations  of  its  two  predecessors  and  finished  at 
a  cost  of  $250,000.  Part  of  the  old  block-house  of  the 
first  Fort  Trumbull  is  still  preserved  in  the  confines 
of  the  present  fort. 

1  Lossing,  vol.  i,  p.  617. 


FORT  MIFFLIN 

ON  THE  DELAWARE— PHILADELPHIA 


VISIT  to  Fort  Mifflin,  Mud 
Island,  on  the  Delaware  River, 
Pennsylvania,  to-day  reveals  a 
star-shaped  fort  of  familiar  pat 
tern  and  of  most  substantial  con 
struction.  It  has  the  distinction 
of  being  within  the  corporate  limits 
of  one  of  the  largest  cities  on  the  continent  of  North 
America,— Philadelphia, — yet  a  more  deserted  or  for 
lorn  looking  spot  it  would  be  hard  to  imagine.  Without 
benefit  of  policemen  or  any  of  the  familiar  marks  of  a 
great  city,  it  might  well  serve  in  a  "  movie  "  for  an 
ancient  stronghold  in  a  desert  waste  and  may  have  been 
discovered  by  some  enterprising  movie  manufacturer 
before  these  words  are  in  print.  Not  always  quiet,  how 
ever,  Fort  Mifflin  was  the  scene  of  one  of  the  heaviest 
cannonadings  of  the  War  of  Independence,  when  it 
sturdily  held  off  the  combined  English  naval  and  land 
forces  until  its  own  walls  were  reduced  to  powder. 

The  ground  on  which  the  Fort  Mifflin  of  to-day 
stands  was  deeded  to  the  Federal  government  by  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania  in  1795,  and  the  present  works 
were  commenced  in  1798.  As  the  strategic  advantage 
and  the  ease  of  fortification  of  the  point  had  been  amply 
demonstrated  during  the  Revolution,  a  large  and  strong 
fortress  was  built  and  garrisoned  until  changing  con 
ns 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


ditions  of  warfare  caused  its  importance  to  be  a  thing 
of  the  past  and  its  garrison  to  be  withdrawn  in  1853. 
During  the  Civil  War  the  fort  was  garrisoned  by  a 
volunteer  regiment  and  served  as  a  detention  place  for 
prisoners  taken  during  that  conflict,  but  this  structure 
saw  no  service  in  this  war  and,  indeed,  has  never  fired 
a  shot  in  anger.  After  the  Civil  War  the  place  was 
deserted,  though  the  government  has  ever  since  kept 
a  care-taker  there.  The  government  land  reservation 
includes  over  three  hundred  acres.  In  other  parts  of 
the  island  are  more  modern  government  stations,  but 
in  these  we  have  no  present  interest. 

The  old  fortification  is  surrounded  by  a  deep  moat 
over  which  are  bridges  leading  to  its  three  sally-ports. 
Only  one  of  these  entrances  is  open  now.  Passing 
through  the  thick  walls  of  this  entrance,  one  finds  one's 
self  facing  a  large  parade  ground,  which  is  surrounded 
by  quaint,  old-fashioned  structures — the  barracks  and 
officers'  quarters  of  a  by-gone  day.  On  the  south  of 
the  parade  is  a  very  charming  little  Georgian  chapel, 
through  whose  broken  window-panes  pour  in  damp 
winds. 

In  the  casemates  of  the  old  fort  were  confined 
Morgan's  men  during  the  Civil  War.  It  is  a  dark  and 
dismal  trip  to  the  damp  rooms  in  which  these  men  were 
confined,  as  one  goes  through  narrow  subterranean  cor 
ridors  beneath  the  thick  walls  of  the  fort.  One  comes 
to  a  large  cavernous  chamber  lighted  from  above  by  a 

174 


FORT  MIFFLIN 


single  narrow  slit.  At  one  end  of  this  chamber  is  an 
open  fire-place.  On  the  walls  are  scribbled  numerous 
names  and  messages  from  Morgan's  men.  It  might 
perhaps  be  an  interesting  matter  to  copy  down  these 
names  and  messages,  if  one  had  the  patience  and  time 
to  do  so,  but  hardly  a  task  within  the  province  of  this 
chapter.  May  be  the  room  was  cheerful  enough  in  the 
days  of  its  use  with  the  big  fire-place  containing  a  roar 
ing  fire,  but  it  is  dismal  now,  in  all  conscience! 

From  the  walls  of  Fort  Mifflin  there  is  a  fine  view 
of  the  Delaware  River.  Natives  of  the  neighborhood 
say  that  the  marshes  round  about  yield  fine  gunning 
during  the  season.  Directly  across  the  Delaware  from 
Fort  Mifflin — the  river  being  about  a  mile  wide,  here — 
are  the  remains  of  Fort  Mercer  and  the  outworks  which 
made  up  this  strong  little  post  in  the  days  of  the  Revo 
lution.  Fort  Mercer  and  its  earthworks  are  preserved 
by  the  nation,  forming  a  public  reservation  which  annu 
ally  receives  many-  visitors. 

The  ancient  Whitall  house — a  two-story  building 
of  red  brick — still  stands  at  Fort  Mercer,  reminding 
one  of  the  intrepid  old  lady  who  occupied  it  during  the 
battle.  Old  Mrs.  Whitall  was  urged  to  flee  from  the 
house  but  refused,  saying,  "  God's  arm  is  strong  and 
will  protect  me;  I  may  do  good  by  staying."  She  was 
left  alone  in  the  house  and,  while  the  battle  was  raging 
and  cannon-balls  were  driving  like  sleet  against  her 
dwelling,  calmly  plied  her  spinning-wheel.  At  length 

175 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


a  twelve-pound  ball  from  a  vessel  in  the  river,  grazing 
the  American  flag-staff  (a  walnut  tree),  at  the  fort, 
passed  at  the  north  gable  through  a  heavy  brick  wall, 
perforated  a  partition  at  the  head  of  the  stairs,  crossed 
a  recess,  and  lodged  in  another  partition  near  where  the 
old  lady  was  sitting.  Conceiving  Divine  protection  a 
little  more  certain  elsewhere  after  this  manifestation  of 
the  power  of  gunpowder,  the  old  lady  gathered  up  her 
spinning  implements  and  with  a  step  as  agile  as  youth 
retreated  to  the  cellar,  where,  not  to  be  pushed  out  of 
her  house  by  any  circumstance,  she  continued  her  spin 
ning  as  industriously  as  before.  When  the  wounded 
and  dying  were  brought  to  her  house  to  be  cared  for, 
she  went  industriously  at  the  work  of  succor,  not  caring 
whether  she  tended  friend  or  foe.  She  scolded  the 
Hessians  vigorously  for  coming  to  this  country  on  a 
work  of  butchery,  and  at  the  same  time  ministered  to 
their  sufferings. 

The  third  American  redoubt  lay  farther  down  the 
river  at  Billingsport. 

It  will  be  recalled  that  Howe,  with  his  English 
regulars  and  Hessians,  spent  the  winter  of  1776-77 
in  New  York  with  occasional  forays  from  that  point. 
In  July,  1777,  after  a  trial  of  wits  with  Washington 
in  northern  New  Jersey,  he  embarked  his  troops  and 
set  sail  to  the  south.  Washington's  uneasiness  as  to 
the  whereabouts  of  his  foe  was  set  at  rest  after  three 
weeks  by  hearing  of  the  landing  of  Howe  at  the  head 

176 


FORT  MIFFLIN 


of  the  Chesapeake  Bay.  There  then  ensued  the  battle 
of  the  Brandy  wine  and  that  series  of  skirmishes  which 
ended  in  Howe's  taking  possession  of  Philadelphia, 
then  the  capital  of  the  country,  with  the  removal  of  the 
American  official  papers  to  York. 

To  secure  his  position  and  keep  his  lines  open  in 
Philadelphia,  however,  it  was  necessary  for  Howe  to 
take  the  American  positions  at  Billingsport,  at  Fort 
Mercer  and  at  Fort  Mifflin.  The  works  at  Billingsport 
fell  quickly  before  a  surprise  attack,  and  it  now  re 
mained  to  take  Mifflin  and  Mercer. 

The  garrison  at  Mercer  consisted  of  two  Rhode 
Island  regiments  under  Colonel  Christopher  Greene. 
At  Mifflin  there  was  about  the  same  number  of  the 
Maryland  line  under  Lieutenant- Colonel  Samuel 
Smith.  The  American  fleet  in  the  river  consisted 
chiefly  of  galleys  and  floating  batteries,  and  was 
anchored  off  the  present  League  Island.  It  was  under 
the  command  of  Commodore  Hazlewood. 

Count  Donop,  with  1200  picked  Hessians,  was  sent 
by  Howe  to  take  Fort  Mercer.  On  the  morning  of 
October  24,  he  appeared  before  the  little  fort.  Though 
the  Americans  had  only  400  men  with  fourteen  cannon 
they  were  not  dismayed  but  stood  to  their  arms.  The 
battle  commenced  at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  and 
raged  with  great  fierceness.  It  resulted  in  the  repulse 
of  the  assailants  and  the  death  of  their  commander, 

12  177 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


Count  Donop,  to  whom  a  monument  has  been  erected 
at  Fort  Mercer  Park. 

The  firing  of  the  first  gun  against  Fort  Mercer 
was  the  signal  for  the  British  fleet  to  open  upon  Fort 
Mifflin.  A  heavy  cannonade  continued  until  the  British 
were  obliged  to  draw  off.  A  hot  shot  struck  one  of 
their  large  ships,  the  Augusta,  and  this  vessel  burned 
to  the  water's  edge. 

For  a  season  the  Americans  held  undisputed  pos 
session  of  their  section  of  the  Delaware,  but  then  the 
British  returned  the  charge  with  increased  force.  Fort 
Mifflin  was  made  the  centre  of  attack.  Batteries  were 
posted  upon  Province  Island, — now  a  part  of  the  main 
land  directly  off  Mud  Island  on  which  the  little  fort 
stood, — and  on  this  side  the  fort  was  not  finished.  A 
large  floating  battery  was  also  brought  up  the  river 
within  forty  yards  of  one  angle  of  the  fort.  Altogether 
the  British  had  fourteen  strong  batteries,  in  addition 
to  four  64-gun  and  two  40-gun  ships.  The  engage 
ment  opened  on  the  10th  of  November  and  continued 
for  six  consecutive  days  without  interruption.  In  the 
course  of  the  last  day  more  than  a  thousand  discharges 
of  cannon  were  made  against  the  little  fort  on  Mud 
Island.  By  this  time  there  was  little  left  of  its  walls 
and  no  single  chance  of  the  garrison  holding  out  longer. 
The  officer  in  command  escaped  to  Fort  Mercer  with 
the  remnants  of  his  force.  It  is  said  that  the  British 
were  preparing  to  draw  away  from  Fort  Mifflin  and 

178 


FORT  MIFFLIN 


had  made  up  their  minds  to  give  up  the  siege,  but 
information  from  a  deserter  caused  them  to  keep  on 
for  the  few  days  necessary  to  reduce  the  weakened 
stronghold. 

So  strong  a  force  was  now  sent  against  Fort  Mercer 
that  Colonel  Greene  was  obliged  to  evacuate  that  post, 
leaving  behind  some  guns  and  ammunition  with  military 
stores. 

The  American  fleet  sought  safety  in  flight  up  the 
Delaware.  One  brig  and  two  sloops  escaped  to  Bur 
lington.  Seventeen  other  vessels,  unable  to  escape,  were 
abandoned  by  their  crews  and  burned  at  Gloucester, 
just  across  from  the  Philadelphia  of  to-day. 

The  Delaware  River  and  Philadelphia  were  now 
in  the  hands  of  Howe.  For  a  long  winter  he  was  to 
lie  inactive  while  Washington  took  up  position  at  Val 
ley  Forge  and  spent  that  historic  winter  with  his  men 
of  which  so  much  has  been  written.  Instead  of  work 
ing  for  the  future  the  British  spent  their  time  in  balls 
and  the  Meschianza.  Let  Americans  of  to-day  be  thank 
ful  that  they  found  Philadelphia  manners  and  Phila 
delphia  belles  so  altogether  delightful! 


FORT  McHENRY 

BALTIMORE 


HE  spot  whereon  the  flag-staff 
stood  which  bore  the  stars  and 
stripes  that  fervid  morning  upon 
which  Francis  Scott  Key  arose, 
saw  that  our  flag  was  still  there 
and  jotted  down  the  national 
anthem  on  the  back  of  an  en 
velope  before  going  down  to  breakfast,  still  conspires 
with  a  large  and  lusty  successor  of  this  first  staff  to 
keep  Old  Glory  flying  in  the  heavens.  The  immediate 
surroundings,  the  harbor  outlook,  the  busy  city  now 
sending  its  clamor  over  the  point  on  which  the  old  fort 
stands,  all  have  changed  in  the  years,  but  the  part  of 
the  fort  from  which  the  banner  of  the  new  republic 
was  sent  forth  so  many  years  ago  has  undergone  little 
transformation.  A  triangle  of  ground  pointing  toward 
open  water,  and  a  bare  staff,  these  have  little  that  Time 
can  work  wizardry  with.  The  simple  focus  of  Key's 
inspiration  has  not  been  lost  in  the  years,  but  the  rest 
of  the  picture  which  roused  his  songster's  mood  is  only 
to  be  brought  back  by  effort  of  imagination. 

Fort  McHenry  is  now  a  public  park,  the  last  federal 
trooper  having  been  drawn  out  of  the  reservation  in  the 
fall  of  1913.  As  such  it  has  been  beautified  by  the 
City  of  Baltimore,  if  the  placing  of  benches  in  con 
venient  spots,  the  sodding  of  terraces,  and  the  clean- 

180 


A  View  from  an  Aeroplane 


The  Guard-House 
FORT  McHENRY,  BALTIMORE,  MD. 


FORT  McHENRY 


ing  of  walks  are  to  be  considered  in  the  nature  of  beauti- 
fication;  and  it  is  occasionally  used  by  Baltimoreans  as 
a  place  of  airing.  Situated  on  a  point  of  land  separat 
ing  the  two  parts  of  Baltimore's  heart-shaped  harbor, 
it  gives  charming  views  of  the  city.  Gazing  straight 
ahead  from  the  walls  of  old  Fort  McHenry,  one  can 
see  far  down  the  river  (very  wide  here)  into  the  dis 
tance  where  the  river  joins  the  Chesapeake  Bay.  In 
the  blue  of  the  horizon  can  be  faintly  discerned  the 
low  squatty  outline  of  the  little  hexagon  of  stone  built 
by  General  Robert  E.  Lee  before  the  Civil  War  and 
known  as  Fort  Carroll. 

To  the  right  hand,  from  this  vantage  point  on  the 
water  side  of  Fort  McHenry's  parapets,  lies  Spring 
Garden,  the  larger  but  the  less  busy  part  of  Baltimore's 
water-front.  To  the  left  is  the  entrance  to  "  the  har 
bor,"  as  it  is  affectionately  called  by  Baltimoreans,  with 
entire  disregard  for  that  magnificent  half -moon  of  water 
of  more  recent  development  which  we  have  already 
descried  to  the  right. 

The  various  points  of  historic  interest  in  the  fort 
and  its  grounds  are  marked  with  tablets  and  appro 
priate  memorials,  this  work  having  been  done  in  recent 
years  by  the  city,  by  the  Maryland  chapter  of  the 
Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution  and  by  various 
public-spirited  bodies  of  the  municipality. 

As  one  enters  the  grounds  of  the  old  fort,  he  is 
confronted  first  by  a  long,  low,  wooden  structure  with 

181 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


an  archway  through  which  can  be  gained  a  glimpse  of 
a  broad  grass  space.  This  is  the  parade.  On  the  right 
of  the  parade  is  a  row  of  cottages  facing  a  narrow 
street,  and  at  the  end  of  this  modest  thoroughfare  can 
be  seen  the  eastern  abutments  of  the  old  fort.  As  one 
approaches  the  fort  itself  the  star  shape  of  the  walls 
is  plainly  observable  and  its  dimensions  easily  taken  in. 
It  is  not  a  large  place,  this  historic  old  work,  and  makes 
no  great  impression  upon  the  beholder  from  its  ma 
terial  aspect.  Batteries  of  ancient  guns  are  mounted 
on  the  walls  fronting  the  river.  These  were  saved 
from  destruction  some  years  ago  by  the  energetic  work 
of  some  of  the  historical  societies  of  the  city.  The 
reservation  is  entirely  surrounded  by  a  stone  sea-wall 
which  makes  a  very  acceptable  promenade,  and  here 
on  summer  days  may  be  found  couples  viewing  the 
beautiful  marine  prospects,  and  small  boys  indefatig- 
ably  crabbing  or  fishing,  but  these  energies  have  a  purely 
legendary  interest,  for  the  crabbing  and  fishing  for  which 
the  place  was  once  famous  are  not  now  what  they  ought 
to  be. 

Seen  from  the  river  as  one  enters  Baltimore  by 
steamer  the  old  fort  is  at  its  best,  for  then  one  sees  the 
long  grassy  inclines  and  the  level  of  the  parade  ground 
and  the  soft  foliage  of  trees  contrasted  sharply  with 
the  smoky  city  in  the  background.  The  fort  proper 
is  barely  visible  from  the  river,  its  walls  not  rising  above 

182 


Looking  Toward  the  Lazaretto 


One  of  the  Old  Batteries  in  Place 
FORT  McHENRY,  BALTIMORE,  MD. 


FORT  McHENRY 


the  crests  of  the  high  embankments  thrown  up  in  front 
of  it. 

The  point  of  land  on  which  Fort  McHenry  is  situ 
ated — Whetstone  Point,  as  it  was  known  in  old  times 
— was  patented  in  1662  by  Mr.  Charles  Gorsuch  of 
the  Society  of  Friends,  and  the  stretch  that  he  acquired 
amounted  to  about  fifty  acres.  It  is  thus  that  it  comes 
upon  the  pages  of  history  in  the  possession  of  one 
sworn  not  to  use  methods  of  violence.  Time  passed 
on,  Mr.  Gorsuch's  tract  was  divided,  and  at  last  came 
the  brewing  of  the  Revolution.  It  was  this  which 
brought  Fort  McHenry  into  existence. 

A  battery  was  thrown  up  on  the  point,  and  in  1776 
a  boom  was  stretched  across  the  river  to  the  Lazaretto, 
a  little  projection  of  land  on  the  northern  side  of  the 
stream.  Two  hundred  and  fifty  negroes  were  employed 
in  this  work  and  their  labors  extended  over  a  period  of 
almost  two  years. 

Yet  this  original  of  Fort  McHenry  did  not  see 
active  service  during  the  Revolution.  Its  greatest  days 
were  to  be  reserved  for  that  short  conflict  which  finally 
decided  the  Mother  Country  in  the  opinion  that  the 
American  Colonies  were  of  a  right  and  ought  to  be 
free  and  independent.  That  so  decisive  a  battle  as  the 
repulse  of  the  British  fleet  before  McHenry  should 
have  been  staged  at  Baltimore  is  peculiarly  appropriate 
when  we  remember  the  prominence  of  that  type  of 
sailing  vessel  known  as  the  Baltimore  "  clipper  "  in 

183 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


the  commerce  of  the  country  before  the  war  and  the 
great  service  these  same  slim,  speedy  vessels  did  as 
privateers  during  that  conflict.  The  Baltimore  clippers, 
it  is  not  amiss  to  note,  were  built  at  Fell's  Point,  about 
a  mile  and  a  half  across  the  river  from  Fort  McHenry, 
where  modern  Broadway,  a  thoroughfare,  now  has  its 
terminus. 

It  was  before  the  outbreak  of  the  War  of  1812  that 
the  foundations  of  present-day  Fort  McHenry  were 
laid.  In  the  closing  ten  years  of  the  eighteenth  century 
there  was  much  ill  feeling  against  England  and  war 
was  declared  in  rumor  many  times  before  the  actual 
outbreak  of  hostilities  took  place.  At  one  of  these 
periods  of  apprehension  the  citizens  of  Baltimore,  at 
their  own  expense,  started  the  erection  of  a  star-shaped 
fort  under  the  direction  of  John  J.  Rivardi,  engineer. 
In  1794  this  erection,  not  complete  but  well  started 
toward  completion,  passed  to  the  Federal  government 
and  was  named  Fort  McHenry  in  honor  of  James 
McHenry,  secretary  to  Washington  during  the  Revo 
lution  and  Secretary  of  War  from  1796  to  1800.  The 
works  were  completed  in  1805  and  the  formal  cession  to 
the  Federal  government  took  place  in  1816. 

It  is  hard  to  over-estimate  in  the  history  of  the 
country  the  importance  of  the  defence  of  Fort  Mc 
Henry   and    of   the   engagement    at    North    Point,— 
a  corollary  of  this  defence, — though  Marylanders  them 
selves  have  been  comparatively  indifferent  to  it  until 

184 


FORT  McHENRY 


lately.  With  that  pride  of  race  which  is  a  heritage  of 
the  South  and  the  feeling  which  that  pride  engenders 
that  their  men  will  do  well  as  a  matter  of  course,  Mary- 
landers  have  given  this  engagement  rather  casual  atten 
tion  until  very  recent  years.  Indeed,  up  to  the  last 
decade,  it  was  not  unusual  to  hear  Baltimoreans  refer  to 
the  heroic  defenders  of  North  Point,  who  checked  a 
force  many  times  more  powerful  than  their  own  and 
inflicted  terrible  injury  in  mortally  wounding  the  assail 
ants'  commanding  officer,  as  the  "  North  Point  racers," 
in  humorous  appreciation  of  the  nimbleness  of  foot  and 
ingenuity  in  evading  observation  which  the  men  showed 
when  finally  they  did  break  ground  and  retreated  to  Bal 
timore.  Yet  the  times  were  critical  enough,  Heaven 
knows,  and  the  part  that  these  same  racers  and  Fort 
McHenry  played  a  worthy  one  in  the  final  summing  up. 
The  British,  it  will  be  remembered,  had  proceeded 
by  easy  stages  up  the  Chesapeake  Bay,  burning  and 
pillaging  wherever 'they  chose  and  meeting  little  opposi 
tion.  A  detachment  had  crossed  to  the  northwest 
through  Bladensburg  and  had  seized  and  given  to  the 
flames  Washington,  the  capital  of  the  nation,  itself; 
and  now  the  united  force  was  turning  its  attention  to  a 
leisurely  march  north  through  Baltimore  to  the  northern 
cities,  where  they  hoped  to  complete  their  subjugation 
of  the  country.  Their  complete  reverse  at  McHenry 
set  back  all  of  their  plans,  giving  the  northern  cities 
time  to  arm  and  prepare,  and  demoralized  them  to  a 

185 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


great  degree,  their  demoralization  being  accompanied 
by  a  corresponding  enheartening  of  all  American 
sympathizers.  The  importance  of  the  action  is  thus 
readily  seen. 

The  historic  attack  upon  Fort  McHenry  began  on 
the  morning  of  September  13,  1814,  and  continued  until 
7  o'clock  of  the  next  morning.  During  the  engagement 
more  than  1800  shells  were  fired  by  the  attacking  force. 
The  total  American  loss  was  four  killed  and  twenty- 
four  wounded.  In  the  land  engagement  of  North  Point 
which  preceded  the  attack  by  water  on  the  city  the 
American  loss  was  150  killed  and  wounded  and  the 
British  loss  about  600. 

While  Fort  McHenry  was  the  main  defence  of 
Baltimore,  the  city  showed  arms  in  other  directions  as 
well.  On  the  northern  side  of  the  harbor  (across  the 
river  from  Fort  McHenry)  were  two  long  lines  of 
fortifications  which  extended  from  Harris  Creek,  north 
ward  across  Hampstead's  Hill,  now  Patterson  Park, — 
about  a  mile  in  length,  along  which  at  short  distances 
were  thrown  up  semicircular  batteries.  Behind  these  on 
more  elevated  sites  were  additional  batteries,  one  of 
which,  known  as  Rodger's  Bastion,  overlooked  Fort 
McHenry.  There  were,  also,  connecting  lines  of  breast 
works  and  rifle-pits  running  parallel  with  the  northern 
boundary  of  the  city,  connected  in  turn  by  inner  bastions 
and  batteries,  the  precise  location  of  which  is  not  known. 
A  four-gun  battery  was  constructed  at  Lazaretto  Point, 

186 


From  This  Point  the  Star  Spangled  Banner  Fle\ 


The  Entrance 
FORT  McHENRY,  BALTIMORE,  MD. 


FORT  McHENRY 


and  between  this  point  and  Fort  McHenry  across  the 
mouth  of  the  harbor  a  number  of  vessels  were  sunk. 
Southwest  of  the  fort,  guarding  the  middle  branch  of 
the  Patapsco  (known  as  Spring  Garden)  against  the 
landing  of  troops  to  assail  Fort  McHenry  in  the  rear, 
were  two  redoubts,  500  yards  apart,  called  Fort  Coving- 
ton  and  the  City  Battery.  In  the  rear  of  these  upon 
the  high  ground  of  the  present  Battery  Square  was  a 
circular  battery.  A  long  line  of  platforms  for  guns 
was  erected  in  front  of  Fort  McHenry  and  was  known 
as  the  Water  Battery. 

During  the  night  which  followed  the  unsuccessful 
afternoon  engagement  of  the  13th  a  landing  party  was 
sent  in  boats  with  muffled  oars  to  slip  past  the  City 
Battery  and  Fort  Covington  and  to  take  these  works 
and  McHenry  in  the  rear.  That  this  effort  was  not 
more  successful  is  due  to  the  presence  of  a  large  hay 
stack  near  one  of  the  American  sentries.  This  sentry, 
becoming  suspicious,  touched  a  match  to  the  hay-stack, 
and  the  sudden  flames  showed  the  landing  party  of 
British.  In  the  engagement  that  followed  the  British 
were  repulsed. 

It  was  at  dawn  of  the  14th  that  Francis  Scott  Key, 
who  was  a  prisoner  on  the  British  flag- ship,  received  the 
inspiration  to  write  "  The  Star  Spangled  Banner."  He 
saw  that,  despite  the  furies  of  the  night,  the  American 
flag  still  waved  over  the  little  fort.  The  words  which 
he  jotted  down  in  the  joy  of  that  moment  were  the  sub- 

187 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


ject  of  some  reworking  on  his  part,  but,  it  is  understood, 
had  not  been  materially  changed  when  he  showed  them 
to  his  brother-in-law,  Judge  Nicholson,  after  his  ex 
change  the  next  morning.  The  words  were  found  to  fit 
perfectly  to  the  popular  tune  "Anacreon  in  Heaven." 
Carrying  the  stanzas  to  the  printing  office  of  Benjamin 
Edes,  copies  of  it  were  ordered  printed.  This  was  the 
birth  of  "  The  Star  Spangled  Banner." 

The  real  hero  of  the  attack  upon  Fort  McHenry 
is  not,  perhaps,  given  the  acclaim  that  should  be  his.  It 
was  sturdy  Colonel  Armistead,  commander  of  the  fort. 
His  intrepid  spirit  and  fine  ingenuity  undoubtedly  saved 
the  day. 

Among  the  tributes  which  were  rendered  to  Colonel 
Armistead  after  the  engagement  may  be  repeated  that 
of  his  old  friend,  the  veteran  Colonel  John  Eager 
Howard,  who  sent  him  a  brace  of  ducks  and  some  wine 
with  the  words: 

The  British  are  off  and  the  Devil  with  them.  You  deserve 
the  thanks  of  a  grateful  country.  I  am  sending  a  brace  of  ducks 
and  a  bottle  of  Burgundy.  I  hope  you  may  enjoy  them. 

During  the  Civil  War  Baltimore  was  again  fortified. 
On  the  night  of  May  13,  1861,  Major-General  Butler 
occupied  Federal  Hill,  a  commanding  eminence  over 
looking  the  city  and  harbor.  In  the  following  month  a 
strong  fort  was  erected  here  by  General  Brewerton, 
which  included  the  entire  crown  of  the  hill  and  mounted 

188 


COL.  GEORGE  ARMISTEAD 

In  command  of  Fort  McHenry  during  the  siege 


FORT  McHENRY 


fifty  guns.  The  building  of  Federal  Hill  Fort  was  an 
answer  to  the  action  of  a  mob  in  Baltimore  in  April, 
1861,  which  planned  to  seize  Fort  McHenry.  This 
effort  was  frustrated  by  the  garrison  of  100  men  under 
Captain  Robinson  which  put  up  such  a  war-like  front 
with  such  a  display  of  grape  and  canister,  that  the  enter 
prise  was  abandoned. 

In  September,  1914,  during  the  Star  Spangled 
Banner  Centennial,  the  fort  and  grounds  were  loaned 
to  the  City  of  Baltimore  by  the  War  Department  for 
use  as  a  public  park.  It  is  not  to  be  expected  that  the 
old  fort  will  ever  again  be  called  into  active  service. 


FORT  MARION 

ST.  AUGUSTINE— FLORIDA 


HE  ancient  city  of  St.  Augustine, 
the  oldest  place  of  European 
settlement  on  the  North  Ameri 
can  continent,  is  on  the  east 
coast  of  Florida  at  the  mouth  of 
the  St.  Augustine  River  and  at 
the  northern  end  of  a  long 
lagoon  formed  by  Anastatia  Island,  which  separates  the 
waters  of  the  lagoon  and  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  Our 
interest  in  the  quaint  spot  may  be  concentrated  in  Fort 
Marion,  a  Spanish  bravo  which  has  fought  the  city's 
battles  for  more  than  three  hundred  and  fifty  years. 
Probably  the  most  picturesque  of  fortifications  in  the 
United  States,  Fort  Marion  annually  receives  thousands 
of  visitors,  many  drawn  from  the  leisured  throng  who 
have  made  St.  Augustine  the  winter  social  capital  of  the 
American  nation. 

Fort  Marion  is  situated  at  the  northern  end  of  St. 
Augustine,  where  its  lonely  watch-tower  may  have  a 
clear  view  of  the  shipping  channel  which  leads  from  the 
city  across  the  long  bar  Anastatia  Island  to  the  ocean. 
The  fortification  is  a  regular  polygon  of  four  equal  sides 
and  four  bastions.  A  moat  surrounds  the  structure,  but 
the  moat  has  been  dry  for  many  years.  The  entrance 
is  to  the  south  and  is  protected  by  a  barbacan,  or,  less 
technically,  an  arrow-shaped  out-work.  A  stationary 

190 


FORT  MARION 


bridge  leads  part  way  across  the  moat  and  the  path  is 
then  continued  on  into  the  fort  by  a  draw-bridge. 

Over  the  entrance  is  an  escutcheon  bearing  the  arms 
of  Spain  with  gorgeous  coloring,  which  has  been  much 
dimmed  by  the  hot  sun  of  Florida.  A  legend  now 
partially  obliterated  sets  forth  that  "Don  Ferdinand, 
the  VI,  being  King  of  Spain  and  the  Field  Marshal 
Don  Alonzo  Fernando  Hereda,  being  Governor  and 
Captain  General  of  this  place,  San  Augustin  of  Florida, 
and  its  province,  this  fort  was  finished  in  the  year  1756. 
The  works  were  directed  by  the  Captain  Engineer  Don 
Pedro  de  Brozas  y  Garay." 

Passing  through  the  entrance  to  the  fort  one  finds 
one's  self  in  a  dark  passage,  on  the  right  and  left  of 
which  are  low  doorways,  that  on  the  right  being  the 
nearer.  Glancing  through  the  right  door-way  one  sees 
three  dark  chambers,  the  first  of  which  was  used  as  a 
bake-room  and  the  two  others  of  which  were  places  of 
confinement  for  prisoners.  Looking  through  the  dark 
door-way  a  few  steps  forward  to  the  left  one  gazes  into 
the  guard-room. 

Walking  on  one  comes  into  the  open  court,  103  feet 
by  109  feet;  immediately  to  the  right  is  the  foot  of  the 
inclined  plane  which  leads  to  the  upper  walls.  To  the 
left  is  the  well.  On  all  sides  of  the  court  are  entrances 
to  casemates.  Directly  across  from  the  entrance  is  the 
ancient  chapel,  which  heard  masses  sung  while  the 
English  colonies  were  just  being  started.  The  altar  and 

191 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


niches  still  remain  and  over  the  door  of  this  place  of 
worship  is  a  tablet  set  in  the  wall  by  French  astron 
omers,  who  here  once  observed  the  transit  of  Venus. 

Passing  up  the  inclined  plane  to  which  allusion  has 
already  been  made  one  finds  one's  self  on  the  ramparts 
of  the  fort.  A  charming  view  is  to  be  obtained  on  all 
sides,  but  particularly  looking  out  to  sea.  At  each  angle 
of  the  fort  was  a  sentry-box  and  that  at  the  northeast 
corner  was  also  a  watch-tower.  This  tower,  probably 
the  most  familiar  remembrance  of  old  Fort  Marion,  is 
twenty-five  feet  high.  The  distance  from  watch-tower 
to  sentry-box  (or  from  corner  to  corner)  of  the  old  fort 
is  317  feet. 

The  material  of  which  the  fort  is  constructed  is  the 
familiar  sea-shell  concretion  used  so  largely  in  Florida 
and  known  as  "coquina."  It  was  quarried  on  Anastatia 
Island,  across  Matanzas  Inlet  from  the  city,  and  was 
ferried  over  to  the  fort  site  in  large  barges.  The  sub 
stance  is  softer  when  first  dug  than  when  it  has  been 
exposed  to  the  air  and  light  for  a  season,  sharing  this 
property  with  concrete,  to  which  it  is  analogous  in  other 
ways,  so  the  walls  of  the  fort  are  more  solid  to-day  than 
when  they  were  built. 

The  history  of  Fort  Marion  takes  one  back  to  early 
bickering  between  Spanish  and  French  on  the  North 
American  continent.  In  1562  Jean  Ribaut,  a  sturdy 
French  mariner,  sailed  into  the  waters  of  Florida,  ex 
plored  the  waters  of  the  St.  John's  River  (at  the  mouth 

192 


FORT  MARION 


of  which  busy  Jacksonville  now  stands)  and  planted  a 
colony  and  a  fort  on  the  St.  John's  with  the  name  of 
Fort  Caroline.  The  river  he  called  the  River  of  May, 
in  remembrance  of  the  month  in  which  he  first  set  eyes 
upon  it.  In  1564,  Laudonierre,  a  second  Frenchman, 
came  with  supplies  and  reinforcements  for  Fort  Caro 
line,  but  paused  on  his  passage  to  investigate  an  inlet 
farther  south  than  the  mouth  of  the  St.  John's  River. 
This  inlet  he  called  the  River  of  Dolphins,  from  the 
abundance  of  such  creatures  at  play  in  the  waters  here 
and  on  the  shores  of  the  inlet,  which  later  generations 
were  to  know  as  St.  Augustine  harbor;  he  descried  an 
Indian  village  known  as  Seloy. 

The  jealous  King  of  Spain  heard  of  the  French  set 
tlement  in  Florida  and  was  displeased.  He  sent  an  ex 
pedition  under  Juan  Menendez  de  Aviles  to  colonize  the 
country  with  Spaniards  and  to  exterminate  the  French, 
who  added  to  the  misfortune  of  not  being  Spaniards 
the  mistake  of  not  being  Catholics.  Menendez  sailed 
into  Florida  waters  in  September,  1565,  reconnoitred 
the  French  colony  on  the  St.  John's  River  and  then 
sailed  south  several  days,  landing  at  the  Indian  village 
of  Seloy.  Here  he  decided  to  establish  the  capital  of 
his  domain.  The  large  barn-like  dwelling  of  the  Indian 
chief  was  made  into  a  fort.  This  was  the  original  of 
Fort  Marion  of  to- "  *y.  Then  on  September  8,  1565, 
Menendez  took  f  .nal  possession  of  the  territory,  and 
named  his  fort  San  Juan  de  Pinos. 

13  193 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


Of  the  Sixteenth  Century  quarrels  of  Frenchman 
and  Spaniard,  of  Huguenot  and  Catholic,  there  is  not 
space  in  this  chapter  to  tell.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  even 
in  so  broad  a  land  as  Florida,  which  according,  to  the 
interpretation  of  the  day  included  all  of  the  present 
United  States  and  British  Canada,  there  was  not  room 
enough  for  two  separated  small  French  and  Spanish 
colonies  to  subsist  together,  and  for  Catholic  and  Hugue 
not  to  be  in  one  world  together  was  beyond  all  reason. 
So  the  next  step  in  the  history  of  our  fort  is  the  expedi 
tion  of  Menendez  against  the  French  and  the  perpetra 
tion  by  him  of  one  of  the  most  horrid  massacres  that  has 
ever  stained  the  New  World. 

Let  us  picture  a  blinding  night  in  September,  1565, 
at  Fort  Caroline.  The  Spanish  leader,  it  is  known,  has 
established  himself  at  the  River  Dolphins.  One  of  the 
equinoctial  tempests  to  which  Florida  is  subject  was 
raging.  The  French  in  their  dismantled  little  post  have 
deemed  no  enemy  hardy  enough  to  venture  out  in  such 
elemental  fury.  Laudonierre  himself  has  dismissed  the 
weary  sentinels  from  the  wall,  secure  in  the  thought  that 
Nature,  herself,  is  his  protection.  He  does  not  know 
the  tenacity  of  the  Spaniard.  Menendez,  setting  out 
from  his  new  stronghold  with  a  few  hundred  men  and 
struggling  on  against  the  storm,  is  even  now  within 
striking  distance  of  the  doomed  French  retreat.  A  sud 
den  rush  upon  the  sleeping  garrison  and  the  Spaniards 
are  within  the  fort.  No  mercy  is  shown.  One  hundred 

194 


FORT  MARION 


and  thirty  men  are  killed  with  little  resistance.  One 
old  carpenter  escaped  to  the  woods  during  the  melee, 
but  surrendered  himself  to  the  Spaniards  the  next  morn 
ing  with  pleas  for  mercy.  He  was  butchered  with  his 
prayers  upon  his  lips. 

Menendez  returned  to  St.  Augustine  and  in  a  few 
days  heard  that  some  of  the  French  ships  which  had  fled 
in  disorder  during  the  rout  at  the  fort  had  landed  their 
crews  about  twenty  miles  south  of  St.  Augustine.  He 
immediately  set  out  for  the  spot  with  one  hundred  and 
fifty  men.  The  hapless  French  without  food  and  with 
out  shelter  surrendered  themselves  to  Menendez.  All  of 
them  (over  a  hundred  in  number)  with  the  exception 
of  twelve  Breton  sailors,  who  had  been  kidnapped,  and 
four  ships'  caulkers  who  might  be  useful  to  the 
Spaniards,  were  put  to  the  knife  in  cold  blood.  Again, 
word  came  to  Menendez  that  castaway  Frenchmen  were 
south  of  St.  Augustine.  It  was  the  remainder  of  the 
French  squadron  'under  Bibaut — more  than  three  hun 
dred  and  fifty  in  number.  Menendez  repeated  his  tactics 
with  this  company  as  well.  He  allowed  them  to  trust 
themselves  to  his  mercy  and  then  conclusively  proved 
that  there  was  no  mercy  in  the  heart  of  a  Spaniard  of 
the  Inquisition  by  putting  the  whole  company  to  death 
ten  at  a  time.  The  spot  where  these  two  butcheries  took 
place  is  known  to  this  day  as  Matanzas,  or  the  Place  of 
the  Slaughters. 

Immediately  now  the  Spaniard  began  to  make  him- 

195 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


self  more  secure  in  Florida.  His  stronghold  at  St. 
Augustine  was  amplified  and  Fort  Caroline,  the  luck 
less  French  fort,  was  rebuilt  and  renamed  San  Mateo. 
In  1568  the  French  under  de  Gorgues  descended  upon 
the  Spanish  at  San  Mateo  and  put  the  whole  garrison  to 
the  sword.  San  Augustin  was  not  attacked,  however, 
and  for  two  hundred  years  held  the  Spanish  flag 
supreme  in  this  part  of  the  New  World. 

For  twenty  years  after  its  foundation  Menendez's 
little  fort  of  San  Juan  de  Pinos  saw  no  military  service, 
though  it  was  made  strong  and  formidable.  Then  the 
clash  of  arms  came  to  its  ears,  accompanied  by  great 
catastrophe.  These  were  the  years  of  the  English  sea- 
kings.  Raleigh,  Drake,  Grenville,  Gilbert,  Frobisher 
were  sweeping  the  oceans  in  their  diminutive  craft,  mak 
ing  anxious  the  captains  of  many  a  Spanish  galleon. 
In  September,  1585,  Drake  sailed  on  a  freebooting  voy 
age  from  the  harbor  of  Plymouth,  England,  with  more 
than  an  ordinarily  large  number  of  men  and  ships,  and 
in  May,  1586,  this  little  armada  chanced  to  be  in  sight 
of  San  Augustin.  The  procedure  may  now  be  told  in 
the  words  of  one  of  Drake's  seamen: 

Wee  descried  on  the  shore  a  place  built  like  a  Beacon 
which  was  indeede  a  scaffold  upon  foure  long  mastes  raised  on 
ende.  .  .  .  Wee  might  discover  over  against  us  a  Fort  which 
newly  had  bene  built  by  the  Spaniards ;  and  some  mile  or  ther- 
about  above  the  Fort  was  a  little  Towne  or  Village  without 
walls,  built  of  wooden  houses  as  the  Plot  doeth  plainely  shew. 

196 


FORT  MARION 


Wee  forthwith  prepared  to  have  ordnance  for  the  batterie ;  and 
one  peece  was  a  little  before  the  enemie  planted,  and  the  first 
shot  being  made  by  the  Lieutenant  generall  himself  at  their 
ensigne  strake  through  the  Ensigne,  as  wee  afterwards  under 
stood  by  a  Frenchman,  which  came  unto  us  from  them.  One 
shot  more  was  then  made  which  strake  the  foote  of  the  Fort 
wall  which  was  all  massive  timber  of  great  trees  like  Mastes. 

And  so,  in  the  charming,  inconsequential  fashion  of 
the  times,  the  narrative  goes  on,  carrying  the  battle  with 
it.  The  fort  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  English  after  a 
stubborn  defence  by  its  Spanish  occupants  and  was  de 
stroyed.  The  village  was  sacked  and  burned.  Drake 
then  sailed  on  his  way. 

The  fort  was  rebuilt  and  stood  secure  until  1665, 
when  San  Augustin  was  sacked  by  buccaneers  under 
Captain  John  Davis  and  it  shared  the  destruction  of  the 
town.  Then  a  substantial  structure,  the  Fort  Marion  of 
to-day,  was  begun.  Work  was  continued  for  successive 
generations,  until  in  1756  the  stronghold  was  declared 
finished.  The  new  structure  was  christened  San  Marco. 

During  these  years  the  fort  was  not  without  service, 
however.  In  1702  and  again  in  1740  San  Augustin  was 
attacked  by  English  forces  from  the  English  colonies  to 
the  north,  and  Fort  San  Marco,  even  while  not  complete, 
bore  the  brunt  of  these  attacks.  The  second  expedition 
against  San  Augustin  was  under  the  leadership  of  Gov 
ernor  Oglethorpe,  of  Georgia,  and  arose  to  the  dignity 
of  a  siege  of  the  city.  For  weeks  the  English  forces  lay 

197 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


beyond  the  city  walls  and  were  then  driven  off  by  rein 
forcements  brought  from  Cuba. 

With  the  construction  of  Fort  San  Marco  the  erec 
tion  of  city  walls  was  undertaken,  too.  The  walls  of  old 
San  Augustin  ran  from  Fort  San  Marco  around  the  city 
and  were  constructed  of  "coquina."  Only  the  so-called 
"City  Gate"  remains  of  these  walls  to-day. 

In  1763  the  warrior  which  had  withstood  armed 
assault  fell  to  the  attack  of  diplomacy,  for  it  was  in  this 
year  that  England  made  its  trade  with  Spain  whereby 
Spain  was  given  back  Cuba,  which  England  had  wrested 
by  force  of  arms  from  that  country,  and  England  was 
given  Florida.  The  flag  of  Castile  and  of  Aragon  was 
hauled  down  from  the  wall  of  the  old  fort  and  the  British 
lion  was  raised  in  its  place.  Fort  San  Marco  became  in 
British  hands  Fort  St.  Mark. 

During  the  American  revolution  Florida  was  the 
only  one  of  the  fourteen  British  colonies  which  remained 
loyal  to  the  Mother  Country.  The  fervor  of  the  northern 
coasts  found  no  kindred  spark  in  old  St.  Augustine. 
The  town  became  a  haven  for  Tories.  She  opened  her 
gates  and  an  oddly-assorted  throng  came  flocking  in. 
There  was  the  Tory  colonel  Thomas  Browne,  of 
Georgia,  tar  and  feathers  still  sticking  to  his  skin  from 
his  experience  with  the  Liberty  Boys,  of  Savannah. 
There  was  Rory  Mclntosh,  always  attended  by  Scotch 
pipers,  who  paraded  the  narrow  streets  breathing  out 
fire  and  slaughter  against  the  colonies.  The  Scopholites, 

198 


FORT  MARION 


so-called  from  Scophol,  their  leader,  marched  down,  600 
strong,  from  the  back  country  of  North  Carolina,  burn 
ing  and  killing  in  their  course  through  Georgia.  With 
such  additions,  St.  Augustine  was  not  content  with 
passive  loyalty  and  became  a  centre  for  military  opera 
tions  against  the  southern  colonies.  Many  a  council  did 
the  rooms  of  Fort  St.  Mark  witness,  which  had  as  its 
result  death  and  privation  to  the  rebellious  Americans. 

Two  expeditions  were  attempted  by  the  colonists 
against  Fort  St.  Mark.  The  first  under  General 
Charles  Lee  fell  short  because  of  mismanagement.  The 
second  advanced  as  far  as  the  St.  John's  River.  Con 
sternation  in  St.  Augustine  reigned  supreme;  slaves 
were  impressed  to  help  strengthen  the  fortifications ;  citi 
zens  ran  hither  and  thither  with  their  valuables.  But  the 
Americans  were  menaced  by  fever  at  the  St.  John's  and 
faced  the  prospect  of  a  midsummer  encampment  in 
Florida,  so  they  turned  about  and  went  north.  Fort 
St.  Mark  was  not  to  leave  English  hands  by  force. 

In  1783  took  place  another  one  of  those  shuffles 
between  high  contracting  parties  by  which  each  party 
thinks  that  he  has  secured  the  better  of  the  bargain. 
England  traded  Florida  to  Spain  for  Jamaica.  Spain 
traded  Jamaica  to  England  for  Florida.  In  1821  Spain 
ceded  Florida  to  the  United  States,  and  in  1825  the 
name  of  the  fort  was  changed  from  Fort  St.  Mark  to 
Fort  Marion  in  honor  of  General  Francis  Marion,  of 
Revolutionary  fame. 

199 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


The  Seminole  War  began  in  1835  and  continued 
until  1842,  costing  the  United  States  two  thousand  lives, 
and  forty  million  dollars.  Fort  Marion  was  the  centre 
of  the  military  operations  of  this  conflict  and  it  was  the 
scene  of  the  disgraceful  episode  of  treachery  by  which 
Osceola  and  other  Indian  chieftains  were  captured.  In 
1838  General  Hernandez,  in  command  of  the  United 
States  forces,  sent  word  to  Osceola  that  he  would  be  pro 
tected  if  he  should  come  to  Fort  Marion  for  talk  of 
peace.  With  seventy  of  his  followers  the  Indian  came 
to  the  conference  and  was  placed  in  irons.  The  prisoner 
was  taken  to  Fort  Moultrie,  in  Charleston  harbor,  where 
from  much  brooding  and  confinement  he  died.  The  same 
tactics  were  repeated  in  another  sitting  with  Coacoochee, 
the  remaining  great  leader  of  the  Seminoles,  and  the 
Seminole  War  was  ended.  Coacoochee  was  confined  in 
Fort  Marion,  where  his  cell  is  pointed  out  to  visitors. 
His  fate  became  that  of  an  exile,  for  with  his  people  he 
was  transported  to  a  western  reservation. 

During  the  Civil  War  Fort  Marion  had  a  brief 
flurry  of  excitement  when  the  fort  was  seized  by 
Southern  sympathizers  in  1861.  It  quickly  fell  before 
Federal  troops,  however,  and  had  no  further  active  part 
in  that  war. 

The  old  fort  is  still  government  property,  but  its 
days  of  activity  are  long  since  past.  That  it  will  be  main 
tained  for  many  years  as  a  reminder  of  the  past  is,  how 
ever,  well  assured. 


LA  FUERZA,  MORRO  CASTLE,  AND 
OTHER  DEFENCES 

HAVANA— CUBA 


HE  city  of  Havana  was  located 
where  it  stands  to-day  in  1519, 
after  a  four  years'  unsatisfactory 
trial  of  a  site  on  the  opposite,  or 
south,  coast  of  the  island.  It 
jogged  along  comfortably 
through  all  of  the  ordinary  perils 
of  that  time  until  1538,  when  it  was  attacked  and  sacked 
by  a  French  privateersman.  The  authorities  in  the  home 
country  determined  to  provide  some  means  of  defence  for 
the  baby  metropolis,  and  one  Hernando  de  Soto,  an 
impecunious  adventurer  who  had  followed  Pizarro  to 
Peru,  and  had  returned  enriched  with  plunder  from  that 
unhappy  land,  was  commissioned  governor  of  Cuba  and 
Florida  with  instructions  to  build  a  fortress  at  Havana. 
De  Soto  came  'to  Havana  in  the  fashion  of  leisure  of 
the  times,  and  in  pursuit  of  his  royal  master's  instructions, 
laid  the  foundations  of  a  fortress.  This  work  was  finished 
under  the  direction  of  his  lieutenant  while  he,  himself, 
was  searching  an  El  Dorado  in  Florida  and  was  finding 
a  miserable  death  by  fever  on  the  Mississippi.  The 
structure  which  de  Soto  left  as  his  legacy  to  Havana  is 
the  Castillo  de  la  Fuerza,  half  hidden,  to-day,  between 
the  Senate  and  old  post-office  building  on  the  Plaza  de 
Armes.  La  Fuerza  has  been  credited  with  being  the 

201 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


oldest  inhabitable  and  inhabited  structure  in  the  Western 
Hemisphere  and  the  claim  is  not  easily  disputed.  As 
early  as  1544  a  royal  decree  had  been  given  forth  that  all 
vessels  entering  Havana  harbor  should  salute  the  little 
fortress  with  a  ceremony  not  enjoyed  by  any  other  city  in 
the  New  World  save  Santo  Domingo. 

The  form  of  la  Fuerza  is  that  of  a  quadrilateral, 
having  a  bastion  at  each  of  the  four  corners.  The  walls 
are  twenty-five  feet  in  height  and  are  double.  There  is  a 
moat  which  has  not  contained  water  for  many  years,  and 
arrangements  for  a  draw-bridge  which  has  been  replaced 
by  a  permanent  plank  walk.  To  the  seaward  is  a  watch- 
tower  similar  in  design  to  that  on  the  fort  at  St.  Augus 
tine,  and  in  this  tower  is  a  bell  which,  tradition  says,  was 
rung  wildly  whenever  in  the  old  days  a  suspicious  sail 
came  into  the  view  of  the  watchman.  The  little  bronze 
image  in  the  top  of  the  tower  is  known  as  "La  Habana." 
When  de  Soto  sailed  out  from  Havana  harbor  on  that 
storied  expedition  through  the  American  wilds  which  was 
to  end  in  his  death,  he  left  la  Fuerza,  and  with  it  his  com 
mand  as  governor,  in  charge  of  his  bride,  Isabel  de 
Bobadilla.  For  four  years  Lady  Isabel  waited  for  her 
lord's  return,  spending  anxious  hours  in  the  little  watch- 
tower  of  the  fort.  Only  when  the  tattered  remnants  of 
that  splendid  army  which  had  accompanied  the  adven 
turer  were  brought  back  to  Havana  was  her  long  sus 
pense  ended. 

The  cellars  of  la  Fuerza  contain  damp  dungeons 

202 


LA  FUERZA 


used  as  receptacles  for  modern  rifles  and  ammunition, 
this  part  of  the  old  fort  being  given  over  to  the  purposes 
of  an  armory. 

In  1554  Havana  was  again  attacked  by  the  French 
and  partially  destroyed  and  in  the  following  year  it  fell 
a  victim  to  pirates.  During  the  wars  which  marked  the 
reigns  of  the  Emperor  Charles  V,  of  Spain,  and  his  son, 
Philip  II,  the  colony  became  more  and  more  the  object 
of  attack  by  Spain's  enemies,  and  in  1585,  Havana  hav 
ing  been  seriously  menaced  by  Sir  Francis  Drake,  it  was 
determined  to  build  additional  defences  for  the  city.  In 
1589  Morro  Castle,  the  Castle  of  the  Three  Kings  and 
the  Bateria  de  la  Punta  were  begun;  by  1597  they  were 
completed. 

The  word  "  Morro  "  means  promontory,  and  Castle 
del  Morro  is  merely  the  fortress  on  the  point.  The  design 
of  Morro  is  that  of  the  quaint  Moorish  fortress  in  the 
harbor  of  Lisbon,  but  it  has  been  changed  so  much  for 
modern  defensive  uses  that  it  does  not  now  greatly  re 
semble  its  original.  The  work  is  irregular  in  shape,  is 
built  on  solid  rock,  and  rises  from  100  to  120  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea.  Its  situation  on  the  northern  one  of 
the  two  points  of  the  entrance  to  the  harbor  of  Havana 
gives  it  a  great  importance.  Opposite  Morro,  across  the 
harbor  mouth,  is  la  Punta. 

To  visit  Morro  one  climbs  to  the  fort  by  an  inclined 
road  cut  out  of  rock,  shaded  with  laurels  and  royal  poin- 
cianas.  Hedges  of  cactus  hem  in  the  road.  The  pilgrim 

203 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


reaches  at  last  the  moat.  This  was  cut  out  of  solid  rock 
and  is  seventy  feet  in  depth.  Passing  over  the  draw 
bridge  and  advancing  through  the  dark  walls  of  the 
work,  one  comes  to  the  inner  court,  from  whence  there  is 
a  passage  to  the  ramparts.  Here  is  a  fine  outlook  over 
city  and  harbor,  from  the  seaward  side  of  the  ramparts, 
where  there  is  a  battery  of  twelve  guns  known  as  the 
"  Twelve  Apostles." 

Some  of  the  prison  cells  in  Morro  are  directly  over 
the  water  and  in  one  spot  a  steep  chute  leads  to  the  sea. 
Your  guide  will  tell  you  that  from  here  bodies  of  pris 
oners,  both  living  and  dead,  were  shot  out  to  become  the 
food  of  innumerable  sharks  waiting  below. 

The  most  active  service  that  Morro  has  seen  was  in 
1762,  when  Havana  was  taken  by  the  English  under  Ad 
miral  Pocock  and  Lord  Albemarle.  In  June  of  that  year, 
shortly  after  the  outbreak  of  war  between  France  and 
Spain  as  allies  against  England,  a  fleet  of  44  English 
men-of-war  and  150  lighter  vessels,  bearing  a  land  force 
of  15,000  men,  appeared  off  Havana.  The  Spanish  de 
fenders  numbered  27,000  men,  of  whom  a  sufficient  garri 
son  was  at  Morro.  The  English  landed  on  the  coast  to 
the  east  of  our  fortress  and  worked  around  to  the  rear  of 
that  structure  to  an  eminence  where  the  fortification  of 
Cabanas  now  stands.  The  siege  began  on  June  3  and 
continued  until  July  30,  when,  after  a  stubborn  defence, 
Morro  fell. 

The  long  resistance  of  the  point  against  an  over- 

204 


LA  FUERZA 


whelming  force  is  largely  to  be  credited  to  the  indomi 
table  spirit  of  its  commander,  Velasco,  who,  though  he 
knew  that  his  position  had  been  undermined  and  his  men 
were  deserting  him,  refused  to  surrender.  The  fort  was 
taken  after  the  mines  had  been  sprung  and  the  walls  had 
been  battered  down.  Captain  Velasco  died  of  wounds 
received  during  the  siege,  and  on  the  day  of  his  funeral 
hostilities  were  suspended  by  the  English  in  recognition 
of  his  bravery. 

The  authorities  in  Spain  decreed  that  a  ship  in  the 
Spanish  navy  should  always  bear  the  name  of  Velasco, 
and  the  vessel  so  named  at  the  time  of  the  Spanish- Ameri 
can  war  was  sunk  in  Manila  Bay  by  the  Boston. 

Havana  fell  thirteen  days  after  Morro  and  for  a  year 
was  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

Stretching  along  bare  hilltop  back  of  Morro  is  Ha 
vana's  greatest  fortress,  built  in  1763  after  the  departure 
of  the  unwelcome  English  guests  whose  coming  had 
shown  the  weakness 'of  the  city's  defences.  Cabanas,  or 
to  give  its  full  name,  Castillo  de  San  Carlos  de  Cabanas 
(Saint  Charles  of  the  Cabin),  is  nearly  a  mile  in  length 
with  a  width  of  about  one-fifth  of  a  mile.  Its  cost  was 
$14,000,000.  When  King  Charles  III  of  Spain,  under 
whose  direction  the  work  was  commenced,  was  told  the 
total  of  expenditures,  it  is  said  that  he  walked  to  the 
window  of  his  study  and  gazed  intently  out  of  it, 
remarking  that  such  an  enormous  and  expensive  con 
struction  should  be  visible  from  Spain. 

205 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


Within  the  fort  are  innumerable  walks,  dungeons  and 
secret  passages.  To  the  right  of  the  entrance  is  the 
famous  "  Laurel  Moat  "  where  unfortunate  Cubans  and 
other  political  prisoners  were  shot  without  benefit  of 
trial.  The  condemned  men  were  compelled  to  kneel 
facing  a  wall,  and  this  wall  marked  with  bullets  in  a  line 
nearly  one  hundred  feet  long  is  a  grim  present-day 
memento  of  Spain's  ruthless  rule  in  the  island.  The  spot 
has  been  marked  with  a  bronze  tablet  which  records  its 
history. 

Other  fortifications  in  Havana  include  Principe 
Castle,  built  in  1774,  and  Atares  Castle,  1767.  There 
are  two  ancient  little  round  towers  of  defence  at  Chor- 
rera  and  Cojimar. 


FORT  SAN  CARLOS 

PENSACOLA  BAY— FLORIDA 


ENSACOLA  Bay  is  a  lozenge- 
shaped  body  of  water,  the  entrance 
to  which  from  the  Gulf  is  at  the 
southern  point  of  the  figure,  and 
the  southern  side  is  formed  by 
Santa  Rosa  Island,  which  stretches 
out  in  a  long  sandy  line  here  to 
divide  sea  and  inland  water.  On  the  western  shore, 
near  the  head  of  the  bay,  is  situated  the  busy  city  of 
Pensacola,  one  of  the  most  active  shipping  points  on 
the  Gulf  and  also  one  of  the  most  ancient.  About  six 
miles  south  of  Pensacola,  and  near  the  mouth  of  the  bay, 
is  the  city's  ancient  defence,  Fort  San  Carlos  de  Bar 
rancas,  which  has  gone  through  ten  generations  and 
more  of  life  as  humans  reckon  it  and  has  done  valiant 
service  under  four  flags. 

The  military  (and  social)  history  of  Pensacola  Bay 
commences  in  1558,  when  Philip  II,  of  Spain,  commis 
sioned  Luis  de  Valesca,  viceroy  of  New  Spain,  to  under 
take  the  settlement  of  Florida.  After  a  preliminary  sur 
vey  Valesca,  in  the  summer  of  1559,  sent  1500  soldiers 
and  settlers  to  make  a  beginning  at  Pensacola  Bay,  this 
body  of  water  having  been  adjudged  the  best  roadstead 
and  the  most  favorable  for  the  support  of  human  life  on 
the  Gulf  Coast.  A  tentative  settlement  was  established, 
but  for  some  reason  the  site  did  not  please  the  expedition 

207 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


and  its  leaders  attempted  unsuccessfully  to  find  a  better 
one.  The  winter  that  followed  and  the  next  summer 
were  filled  with  privation  and  the  colony  became  much 
reduced  in  numbers.  During  the  second  summer  most 
of  the  settlers  went  with  Angel  de  Villafane  to  Santa 
Elena,  Port  Royal  Sound,  south  on  the  Atlantic  coast 
( South  Carolina,  to-day)  and  the  remainder  was  recalled 
by  Philip  II,  who  thereupon  decreed  that  no  further 
effort  should  be  made  to  settle  the  west  coast  of  Florida, 
a  royal  promulgation  which  circumstance  and  lack  of  in 
centive  to  the  contrary  conspired  to  make  effective  for 
more  than  a  century.  If  one  accepts  this  abortive  ex 
pedition  as  the  beginning  of  settlement  in  Florida  then 
Pensacola  is  the  oldest  point  of  European  residence  in 
the  United  States,  antedating  St.  Augustine  by  seven 
years. 

The  Spaniards  did  not  regard  La  Salle's  effort  at 
colonization  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi  River  with 
favor  and  were  not  at  all  displeased  at  his  misfortunes. 
To  forestall  other  efforts  of  the  French  they  undertook 
a  survey  of  the  coast  and  established  a  colony  at  Pensa 
cola  in  the  last  years  of  the  Seventeenth  Century.  This 
was  the  beginning  of  Pensacola  of  to-day. 

When  Iberville,  in  1699,  sailed  from  France  with 
several  vessels  containing  colonists  for  Louisiana  and 
when  in  due  course  of  time  he  arrived  off  Pensacola,  he 
found  the  Spaniards  firmly  established  with  a  fort  with 
four  bastions  and  some  ships  of  war.  The  Frenchmen 

208 


c 

s 

en 


FORT  SAN  CARLOS 


asked  for  permission  to  disembark  his  forces.  His  re 
quest  was  refused  and  he  then  sailed  along  the  coast 
until  he  found  a  landing  to  his  liking  near  the  present- 
day  Biloxi,  Mississippi.  The  governor  of  Pensacola  at 
this  time — and  the  first  governor  of  the  colony — was 
Don  Andre  D'Arriola.  The  fort  was  named  San 
Carlos  de  Barrancas. 

There  came  in  1719  a  war  against  Spain  in  which 
France  and  England  were  allies  opposed  to  her.  The 
French  thereupon  sent  in  this  year  M.  de  Serigny  with 
a  sufficient  force  to  take  possession  of  Pensacola  which 
was  valuable  to  the  French  on  account  of  its  proximity 
to  Louisiana  and  its  accessibility  to  the  West  India 
Islands.  The  expedition  was  entirely  successful  as, 
after  an  attack  by  land  by  700  Canadians,  the  com 
mander  of  the  Spanish  garrison,  Don  John  Peter  Mata- 
moras,  surrendered  with  the  honors  of  war. 

It  is  probable  that  the  Spanish  stronghold  at  that 
time  was  not  the  one  -which  has  come  down  to  us  to-day, 
though  it  bore  the  same  name  and  was,  very  possibly, 
built  on  the  same  site. 

The  news  of  the  surrender  of  Pensacola  caused  a 
great  stir  in  Spain,  and  an  expedition  was  fitted  out  to 
recover  the  lost  territory.  The  command  of  the  expedi 
tion  was  given  to  Don  Alphonse  Carracosa  and  the 
force  consisted  of  12  vessels  and  850  fighting  men.  Don 
Carracosa  achieved  success,  as  at  the  sight  of  his  fleet 
part  of  the  French  garrison  deserted  and  the  rest  sur- 

14  209 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


rendered,  to  be  treated  with  great  severity  by  the 
Spanish.  Don  Matamoras  was  re-established  and  an 
expedition  was  despatched  against  the  French  at  Mobile 
without  result  satisfactory  to  the  Spanish. 

The  French  were  to  have  their  day,  again,  however. 
De  Bienville  invested  Pensacola  by  land  and  Count  de 
Champmelin  by  sea.  After  a  stubborn  resistance  Mata 
moras  surrendered,  giving  the  French  between  twelve 
hundred  and  fifteen  hundred  prisoners.  The  French 
dismembered  the  greater  part  of  the  fort  and  left  a  small 
garrison  in  the  remainder  of  the  structure. 

Under  the  peace  of  1720  Pensacola  was  restored  to 
the  Spanish  and  thus  was  ended  the  port's  first  experi 
ence  of  warfare.  Fort  San  Carlos  was  rebuilt  substan 
tially  in  the  form  that  it  bears  to-day,  and  in  1722  an 
other  fortification  was  built  on  the  point  of  Santa  Rosa 
Island  where  Fort  Pickens  long  years  afterward  was  to 
maintain  a  gallant  defence. 

Fort  San  Carlos  is  a  little  semicircular  structure 
most  solidly  put  together  but  not  of  great  pretension  as 
to  size.  On  account  of  its  fine  location,  however — having 
no  heights  near  which  could  dominate  it,  and  having  a 
fine  sweep  over  the  entrance  to  the  bay  which  it  is  de 
signed  to  protect — it  was  of  importance  in  the  days  of 
short-range  cannon. 

In  1763  the  whole  of  Florida,  which,  of  course,  in 
cluded  our  brave  little  fort  at  Pensacola,  passed  into  the 
hands  of  the  English  by  treaty  with  Spain,  and  an 

210 


FORT  SAN  CARLOS 


English  garrison  took  possession  of  Fort  San  Carlos. 
Upon  the  outbreak  of  hostilities  again  between  Spain 
and  England,  Galvez,  the  Spanish  governor  of  Louisi 
ana,  sailed  from  New  Orleans  in  February,  1781,  with 
1400  men  and  a  sufficient  fleet  to  reduce  Pensacola.  He 
was  joined  by  squadrons  from  Havana  and  Mobile  and 
in  May  of  that  year  entered  Pensacola  Bay.  The  fort 
here  was  in  the  command  of  Colonel  Campbell  with  a 
small  garrison  of  English.  After  a  sufficient  resistance 
Colonel  Campbell  surrendered  and  Galvez  took  charge. 
In  1783  the  whole  province  of  Florida  was  ceded  to 
Spain,  and  Pensacola  remained  under  a  Spanish  ruler 
for  thirty-one  years  after  this  latter  date. 

The  next  eventful  interval  in  the  life  of  Fort  San 
Carlos  had  to  do  with  one  of  the  most  popular  figures  of 
United  States  history,  Andrew  Jackson.  In  1814,  dur 
ing  the  progress  of  the  second  war  of  the  United  States 
with  England,  Jackson  was  made  a  major-general  and 
was  given  command-  of  the  Gulf  Coast  region  where  he 
had  been  operating  against  the  Creek  Indians.  While 
arranging  a  treaty  with  these  conquered  savages  he  was 
informed  by  them  that  they  had  been  approached  by 
English  officers,  through  the  connivance  of  the  Spanish 
commander  at  Pensacola,  with  offers  of  supplies  and 
assistance  to  fight  against  the  Americans.  Two  British 
vessels  arrived  at  Pensacola  August  4  and  Colonel 
Edward  Nicholls  in  command  was  allowed  to  land  troops 
and  to  arm  some  Indians.  Late  in  August  seven  more 

211 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


British  vessels  arrived  at  Pensacola  and  the  mask  of 
Spanish  neutrality  was  thrown  aside  when  Fort  San 
Carlos  was  turned  over  to  the  British,  the  British  being 
allowed  to  hoist  their  ensign  thereon,  and  Colonel 
Nicholls  was  entertained  by  the  Spanish  governor  as 
his  guest. 

Jackson  was  at  Mobile,  Alabama,  not  very  far  dis 
tant  as  the  crow  flies  from  Pensacola,  and  when  the  in 
telligence  of  these  happenings  had  been  confirmed  im 
mediately  set  about  raising  a  force  of  Americans.  By 
November  he  had  2,000  volunteers  and  early  in  that 
month  marched  from  Fort  Montgomery  (Montgomery, 
Alabama)  upon  Pensacola.  November  6  he  was  two 
miles  from  that  city.  To  ascertain  the  Spaniard's  in 
tentions  he  sent  Major  Pierre  to  wait  upon  the  com 
mandant  of  the  city  and  was  rewarded  for  his  pains  by 
having  his  envoy  fired  upon.  By  midnight  Jackson  had 
his  men  in  motion  against  the  city,  and  in  the  hot  en 
gagement  which  followed  the  Spanish  and  British  were 
badly  worsted.  The  British  fled  down  the  Bay  in  their 
ships,  blowing  up  Fort  San  Carlos  in  their  retreat  and 
carrying  away  one  of  the  higher  Spanish  officers — cer 
tainly,  on  the  whole,  a  not  very  grateful  return  for  the 
benefits  bestowed  upon  them  by  their  hosts. 

The  Creek  and  Seminole  Indians  who  had  begun  to 
rally  to  the  English  standard  were  much  impressed  by 
this  display  of  force  on  the  part  of  the  Americans  and 

212 


FORT  SAN  CARLOS 


esteeming  Jackson  a  very  bad  medicine,  indeed,  wisely 
decided  to  return  to  the  prosaic  paths  of  peace. 

During  the  Civil  War,  Fort  San  Carlos  played  no 
conspicuous  part.  The  limelight  of  fame  was  thrown  on 
its  close  neighbor,  Fort  Pickens,  on  Santa  Rosa  Island. 
This  latter  post  at  the  outbreak  of  the  war  was  in  charge 
of  Lieutenant  Adam  J.  Slemmer,  a  Pennsylvanian,  who, 
seeing  the  conflict  impending,  concentrated  (in  Fort 
Pickens  as  being  the  easiest  one  of  them  all  to  defend) 
the  forces  in  the  various  forts  under  his  jurisdiction. 
From  January  9  to  April  11,  1861,  Slemmer  was  in  a 
state  of  siege  in  Fort  Pickens  and  on  the  latter  date 
was  relieved  by  forces  from  the  North.  The  point  was 
held  by  Federal  troops  throughout  the  war. 

A  curious  incident  which  occurred  early  in  1914  at 
Fort  San  Carlos  recalled  vividly  to  the  officers  there  the 
part  the  little  Spanish  post  played  in  the  days  when 
pirates  roamed  the  Spanish  Main  and  all  of  this  part  of 
the  world  was  new.  A  stranger  came  to  the  fort  with  an 
old  parchment  which  he  declared  showed  the  location  of 
buried  treasure  in  the  old  fort.  He  would  not  tell  how 
he  came  by  the  document,  but  its  evident  antiquity 
aroused  interest  and  for  an  idle  hour's  interest  the 
officers  of  the  post  decided  to  dig  for  the  buried  treasure. 
On  the  parchment  was  a  well  drawn  plan  of  the  fort 
with  a  cross  in  a  particular  corner  of  the  parade.  This 
point  was  located  with  some  little  difficulty  and  men 
were  set  to  digging.  For  a  time  nothing  interesting 

213 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


occurred,  but  after  a  while  one  of  the  men  struck  a 
rotten  wooden  board  which  proved  to  be  the  top  of  an 
old  well.  At  the  bottom  of  this  covered-over  well  was 
discovered  a  lot  of  watery  mud  which,  when  it  had  been 
dug  into,  revealed  the  top  of  an  old  chest.  Darkness 
fell  now  and  it  was  not  considered  worth  while  to  con 
tinue  operations  until  the  next  day.  The  next  morning 
when  the  men  went  back  to  work  they  found  that  the 
stirring  up  of  the  earth  and  water  had  caused  the  ob 
ject,  whatever  it  was,  to  sink  so  deep  into  the  unstable 
soil  of  the  spot  that  it  could  not  be  recovered ! 


THE  PRESIDIO  OF  SAN  FRANCISCO 

GOLDEN  GATE— CALIFORNIA 


AND  in  hand  with  the  Military 
went  the  Church  during  Spain's 
days  of  dominion  in  the  New 
World.  Where  the  soldier  walked, 
there  too,  came  the  priest.  At  first 
when  all  of  the  New  World  was 
new,  when  the  hold  of  the  Old 
World  was  insecure,  it  was  the  soldier  who  pointed  the 
path,  but  when  Spain's  hand  had  a  firm  grasp  upon  her 
possessions  it  was  the  priest  who  took  the  lead.  The 
records  of  Spain  on  the  east  coast  of  America  are  rec 
ords  of  bloodiness  and  cruel  oppression.  On  the  west 
coast  where  the  friar  led  the  way  we  find  deeds  of  gen 
tleness  and  love.  Where  Florida  reveals  a  memory  of 
hate  in  two  old  bastioned  fortresses — Marion  and  San 
Carlos — with  dingy  dungeons  and  rusty  chains,  Cali 
fornia  shows  its  missions  with  their  silvery  chimes  and 
its  presidios,  the  two  institutions  being  bound  together. 
Four  presidios  were  established  by  Spain  in  old  Cali 
fornia  to  guard  its  missions ;  the  first,  at  San  Diego ;  the 
second,  at  Monterey;  the  third,  at  San  Francisco;  and 
the  fourth,  at  Santa  Barbara.  It  is  the  third  which  be 
speaks  our  interest  in  this  chapter,  owing  to  its  impor 
tance  in  the  present  day  as  well  as  to  its  historic  and 
natural  charm. 

The  presidio  at  San  Francisco  was  established  in 

215 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


1776  by  an  expedition  which  set  out  in  two  parts  in  June 
of  that  year  from  Monterey;  one  part  to  go  by  land,  the 
other  by  water.  The  objective  point  of  the  two  was  a 
bay  which  had  been  discovered  in  1769  by  an  expedition 
from  San  Diego.  It  was  named  in  honor  of  Saint 
Francis  of  Assisi,  hence,  San  Francisco.  The  land 
expedition  included  Friars  Palou  and  Cambon,  a  few 
married  settlers  with  large  families,  and  seventeen  dra 
goons  under  the  command  of  Don  Jose  Moraga,  who 
was  to  be  the  commandant  of  the  new  post.  It  carried 
garden  seed,  agricultural  implements,  horses,  mules 
and  sheep.  This  party  reached  the  neighborhood  of  the 
Golden  Gate  on  June  27  and,  without  waiting  for  the 
detachment  which  was  coming  by  sea,  chose  a  site  for 
the  presidio  and  began  work  upon  the  modest  buildings 
of  that  station.  The  seed  was  placed  in  the  ground,  the 
cattle  and  sheep  put  out  to  graze  and  the  horses  and 
mules  set  to  labor.  All  was  activity. 

The  first  part  of  September  saw  the  buildings  of  the 
post  substantially  complete  and  on  September  17,  the 
feast  of  the  Stigmata  of  Saint  Francis,  solemn  posses 
sion  of  the  Presidio,  in  the  name  of  the  King  of  Spain, 
was  taken  by  the  grizzled  soldier  Moraga,  while  a  mass 
was  celebrated  by  Palou.  A  Te  Deum  was  sung,  a  cross 
was  planted  and  salutes  were  fired  over  land  and  water. 
Thus  was  the  presidio  of  San  Francisco  founded. 

It  is  a  far  cry  from  1776  to  the  present  day  (though 
not  so  long  as  from  1776  back  to  the  first  day  of  Spanish 

216 


THE  PRESIDIO 


settlement  in  the  future  United  States),  but,  while  the 
immediate  aspect  of  the  country  round  about  Spain's 
presidio  of  1776  at  San  Francisco  has  changed,  the  situ 
ation  of  the  post  has  remained  the  same ;  and  the  view  of 
land  and  water  here  is  just  as  entrancing  to-day  as  it 
was  on  that  day  in  1769  when  the  expedition  from  San 
Diego  saw  the  far-famed  Golden  Gate. 

The  Presidio  of  San  Francisco,  the  most  important 
military  station  of  the  Pacific  coast,  is  situated  on  the 
northwest  rim  of  the  city,  north  of  Golden  Gate  Park 
(and  north  of  the  exposition  grounds  of  1915)  and  con 
nected  with  that  park  by  a  beautiful  boulevard  one  mile 
long.  The  grounds  comprise  more  than  fifteen  hundred 
acres,  developed  for  military  purposes  in  the  most 
modern  fashion.  From  almost  any  part  of  the  grounds 
or  the  approach  thereto  enchanting  views  of  the  won 
derful  bay  of  San  Francisco  are  to  be  obtained. 

A  description  of  the  view  of  the  presidio  as  you 
approach  the  place  on  the  boulevard  from  Golden  Gate 
Park  has  been  given  by  Ernest  Peixotto  in  his 
"Romantic  California,"  which  may  well  be  repeated 
here: 

In  the  meantime  the  city  boasts  one  splendid  driveway  that, 
with  a  connecting  link  completed,  will  rank  with  the  famous 
roadways  of  the  Old  World. 

Only  a  decade  or  two  ago  the  Presidio  (it  still  bears  its 
Spanish  appellation)  was  an  isolated  military  post  separated 
from  the  city  by  several  miles  of  barren,  sandy  thoroughfares. 

217 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


Now  some  of  the  handsomest  homes  crown  the  hill  tops  about  it, 
and  owe  their  chief  attraction  to  the  glorious  views  of  bay 
and  shore  that  they  command.  To  start  some  fine  afternoon 
toward  sunset  from  one  of  these  homes  and  take  a  drive  around 
the  cliffs  is  an  experience  not  soon  to  be  forgotten. 

A  few  blocks  run  brings  you  to  a  stone  gateway,  its  posts 
topped  with  eagles;  you  turn  sharply  to  the  right  through  a 
grove  of  eucalypti,  swing  round  a  curve  and  then  you  stop  the 
motor.  From  the  red  Macadam  roadway  upon  which  you  stand, 
the  hills  fall  gently  in  a  broad  amphitheatre  to  the  barracks  and 
parade  grounds  laid  out  symmetrically  along  the  shore,  and 
teeming  with  soldier  life.  Beyond,  the  waters  of  the  bay  mirror 
the  azure  of  the  sky — a  blue,  tinged  with  green,  like  those  half- 
dead  turquoises  that  they  sell  in  the  marts  of  Tunis.  The 
North  Beach  hills,  thick-studded  with  the  modest  homes  of  the 
city's  alien  population,  gleam  white  against  the  Contra  Costa 
Mountains — verdant  in  winter,  tawny  and  dry  in  summer — with 
the  lumpy  silhouette  of  the  Monte  Diablo,  the  Devil's  Mountain, 
poking  over  the  shoulder  as  if  it,  too,  wished  a  peep  at  so  fair  a 
prospect. 

Across  the  stretch  of  intervening  water,  stern-wheeled  river 
steamers  ply  northward  to  San  Pablo  Bay;  on  through  the 
Carquinez  Straits  and  up  the  Sacramento  River,  their  silhouettes 
varied  once  in  a  while  by  some  grim  battle-ship  or  cruiser  steam 
ing  to  the  Navy  Yard  at  Mare  Island,  headquarters,  home  and 
hospital  for  all  our  ships  in  the  Pacific.  Anchored  in  the  middle 
of  the  bay,  Alcatraz  lies  terraced  with  batteries,  low,  forbidding, 
while  to  the  north  rise  the  hills  of  Marin  County  bathed  in 
purple  shadows  and  clustered  around  the  base  of  Tamalpais. 
The  whole  scene  is  suffused  with  the  rosy  flush  of  the  westering 

218 


THE  PRESIDIO 


sun  that  gilds  the  islands,  warms  the  greens  of  the  eastern  sky, 
and  blushes  the  hills  with  its  ardent  glances. 

One  turns  from  the  picture  with  regret,  only  to  follow  on 
to  new  vistas.  You  wind  through  groves  of  evergreens  and 
eucalypti  out  into  the  open  meadows,  a  riot  of  flowers  in  spring 
time,  that  top  the  cliffs  above  the  Golden  Gate.  The  famous 
straits  lie  just  below,  Fort's  Point  antiquated  bastions  on  their 
hither  shore  fronting  the  white-washed  walls  of  the  harbor-light 
on  the  Point  Bonita  bluffs  opposite. 

To  take  up  the  thread  of  our  historical  narrative,  the 
presidio  remained  a  possession  of  Spain's  until  1824 
when  Mexico  finally  became  free  from  its  mother 
country  and  the  flag  of  Mexico  took  the  place  of  the 
banner  of  Castile  and  Aragon  at  the  Golden  Gate. 

In  1846  the  American  flag  was  raised  in  all  of  the 
presidios  of  California,  an  interesting  chapter  of 
national  expansion  far  too  large  for  abridgment  here. 
In  1849  commenced  the  era  of  San  Francisco's  pros 
perity  and  presidid's  importance  with  the  discovery  of 
gold  in  California  and  the  onset  of  the  hordes  of  gold- 
seekers  who  came  through  the  Golden  Gate. 

The  presidio  was  visited  by  Richard  H.  Dana  in 
1859  and  is  described  by  him: 

I  took  a  California  horse  of  old  style  and  visited  the  Pres 
idio.  The  walls  stand  as  they  did,  with  some  changes  made  to 
accommodate  a  small  garrison  of  United  States  troops.  It  has 
a  noble  situation  and  I  saw  from  it  a  clipper  ship  of  the  very 
largest  class  coming  through  the  Gate  under  her  fore  and  aft 

219 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


sails.  Thence  I  rode  to  the  fort,  now  nearly  finished,  on  the 
southern  shore  of  the  Gate,  and  made  an  inspection  of  it.  It  is 
very  expensive  and  of  the  latest  style.  One  of  the  engineers 
is  Custis  Lee,  who  has  just  left  West  Point  at  the  head  of  his 
class,  a  son  of  Colonel  Robert  E.  Lee  who  distinguished  himself 
in  the  Mexican  war. 

The  fort  with  the  "expensive  equipment"  to  which 
he  refers  is  Fort  Winfield  Scott,  which  was  seven  years 
building  and  cost  $2,000,000.  It  is  now  out  of  date,  but 
is  a  picturesque  feature  of  the  harbor  and  is  of  service 
to  the  presidio  authorities  of  the  present  in  various 
minor  capacities. 

Opposite  Fort  Winfield  Scott,  across  the  Golden 
Gate,  which  is  here  at  its  narrowest  width  of  one  mile, 
can  be  seen  the  white  buildings  of  Fort  Baker.  Other 
defences  of  San  Francisco,  visible  from  the  presidio,  in 
clude  Fort  Miley,  on  Point  Bonita;  Point  Lobos,  and 
Alcatraz  Island,  a  picturesque  body  of  land  whose 
Spanish  name  memoralizes  the  pelicans  which  once  made 
the  place  their  home. 

During  the  Spanish- American  War  the  presidio  was 
a  scene  of  activity  as  the  point  of  departure  of  our  sol 
diers  for  the  Philippines.  The  national  cemetery  for  the 
burial  of  soldiers  who  have  died  on  duty  in  the  Philip 
pines  is  situated  here,  too,  and  each  returning  transport 
brings  back  its  sad  burden,  far  lighter  now  than  in  the 
days  when  the  islands  were  first  feeling  the  weight  of 
American  rule. 

220 


THE  PRESIDIO 


Connected  with  the  history  of  the  presidio  is  a  pretty 
story  which  Bret  Harte  has  woven  into  a  familiar  one 
of  his  poems.  It  concerns  the  pathetic  love  of  Dona 
Concepcion  Arguello,  daughter  of  the  Spanish  Com 
mandant  Don  Luis  Arguello,  for  Rezanov,  chamberlain 
of  the  Russian  emperor,  who  came,  during  the  days  of 
Spain's  possession  of  this  land,  to  negotiate  for  Russian 
settlements  in  California.  Rezanov  won  the  heart  of  his 
host's  daughter  and  sailed  away  to  gain  the  consent  of  his 
emperor  to  marriage  with  her.  Years  passed  and  no 
word  came  from  Rezanov.  At  length  Sir  George  Simp 
son,  the  Englishman,  in  his  trip  around  the  world, 
brought  word  that  Rezanov  had  been  killed  by  a  fall 
from  his  horse  while  crossing  Siberia  on  his  homeward 
journey.  Dona  Concepcion,  who  had  faithfully  waited 
his  return,  became  a  nun  and  when  she  died  was  buried 
near  the  old  Mission  church  in  the  Presidio  grounds. 


FORT  ADAMS  AND  NEWPORT'S 
DEFENSIVE  RUINS 


NEWPORT— RHODE  ISLAND 


HERE  is  an  odd  little  cluster  of 
islands  on  the  eastern  side  of  the 
entrance  to  Narragansett  Bay. 
The  most  important  of  these  is 
Aquidneck  and  on  the  southern 
extremity  of  Aquidneck  Isle  is 
situated  Newport.  At  the  south 
ern  extremity  of  Newport  is  Brenton's  Point  and  on 
Brenton's  Point  is  Fort  Adams.  This  is  the  proper  way 
to  build  up  a  climax! 

Picture  to  yourself  a  sunny  Fourth  of  July  in  1799; 
this  is  the  day  on  which  Fort  Adams  is  to  be  dedicated 
with  imposing  ceremonies.  From  out  of  the  little  many- 
spired  city  across  the  sparkling  blue  waters  of  Newport 
Bay  winds  a  little  procession  around  the  shore  road 
which  leads  to  the  fort.  First  of  all,  comes  the  company 
of  soldiers  which  is  to  garrison  the  post.  It  is  Captain 
John  Henry's  company  of  artillery.  After  this  comes 
the  major-general  of  the  State  militia  with  his  staff  in 
gorgeous  gold  braid.  Following  him  is  the  famous 
Newport  Artillery  Company  with  two  brass  field  pieces 
making  a  brave  show.  Then  there  are  the  Newport 
Guards  with  two  brass  field  pieces.  Finally  there  is  a 
company  of  citizens. 

They  are  all  assembled  at  the  fort.    Major  Tousard, 

222 


FORT  ADAMS 


of  the  corps  of  engineers  of  the  army  of  the  infant  re 
public,  is  speaking:  He  says:  "Citizens:  Happy  to 
improve  every  occasion  to  testify  my  veneration  for  that 
highly  distinguished  citizen  who  presides  over  the  gov 
ernment  of  the  United  States,  I  have  solicited  the  Secre 
tary  of  War  to  name  this  fortress,  Fort  Adams.  He 
has  gratified  my  desire.  I  hope  that  the  brave  officers 
and  soldiers  who  are  and  shall  be  honored  with  its  de 
fence  will  by  valor  and  good  conduct  render  it  worthy 
of  its  name,  which  I  hereby  proclaim  Fort  Adams."  A 
salute  was  fired  from  the  four  brass  field  pieces  and  the 
great  cannon  of  the  new  fort.  In  the  distance  Fort 
Wolcott  on  Goat  Island  fired  guns  and  the  standard 
of  the  young  United  States  was  unfurled  at  the  head  of 
the  flag-staff.  Thus  was  christened  one  of  the  most 
important  of  American  coast  defences. 

For  twenty-five  years  thereafter  Fort  Adams  was 
maintained  with  a  small  garrison  supplied  from  Fort 
Wolcott,  under  whose  jurisdiction  it  was.  In  1824  the 
present  Fort  Adams  was  commenced,  a  star-shaped 
fortress,  of  grey  granite,  with  outworks,  upon  an  initial 
appropriation  by  the  Federal  government  of  $50,000. 
It  was  finished,  under  successive  appropriations,  in 
1841.  The  garrison  was  withdrawn  from  1853  to  1857 
and  between  the  years  1859  and  1862,  since  when  it  has 
been  continuously  occupied.  The  present  area  of  Fort 
Adams  reservation  is  about  200  acres,  and  it  contains 
modern  works  which  need  no  description. 

223 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


If  one  should  go  back  in  point  of  Time  beyond  the 
gay  little  ceremony  which  marked  the  beginning  of  Fort 
Adams,  he  would  find  that  Brenton's  Point  had  been  a 
site  for  martial  works  before  this.  Its  strategic  pos 
sibilities  for  defence  were  early  recognized  in  the  Revo 
lution,  as,  in  the  spring  of  1776,  a  light  breast-work  was 
thrown  up  here  by  the  Americans  behind  which  they 
mounted  several  guns.  In  April,  1776,  the  Glasgow,  a 
British  war  vessel  of  twenty-nine  guns,  came  into  New 
port  Harbor  and  anchored  near  Goat  Island.  On  the 
following  morning  such  a  heavy  fire  was  brought  to  bear 
upon  the  ship  from  Brenton's  Point  that  it  cut  its  cable 
and  made  out  to  sea.  A  few  days  after  this  the  Scar 
borough  and  the  Scymetar  of  His  Majesty's  service 
were,  likewise,  badly  battered  by  fire  from  these  earth 
works. 

Late  in  the  summer  of  1776  the  British  obtained 
possession  of  Aquidneck  Island.  They  made  their  head 
quarters  at  Newport,  and  erected  a  temporary  barracks 
on  Brenton's  Point  where  the  American  battery  had 
been.  For  three  years  they  held  possession  of  Rhode 
Island  and  then  were  removed  by  orders  from  their 
commander-in-chief,  embarking  October  25,  1779. 

The  next  visitors  to  Newport  were  the  French.  The 
French  fleet,  under  the  command  of  Admiral  de  Ternay, 
appeared  in  Newport  Harbor  August  10,  1780.  Gen 
eral  Rochambeau  and  his  army  shortly  put  ashore. 
General  Heath,  in  command  of  the  American  forces  in 

224 


Parade,  Old  Fort  Adams 


Present-Day  Aspect  of  Fort  Greene 
GLIMPSES  OF  NEWPORT'S  HISTORIC  DEFENCES 


FORT  ADAMS 


Rhode  Island,  was  at  the  wharf  to  welcome  Rocham 
beau.  There  were  speeches  and  the  American  officers 
wore  cockades  of  black  and  white  as  a  courtesy  to  the 
allies,  the  cockade  of  the  formal  American  uniform  being 
black  and  that  of  the  French,  white.  It  was  not  long 
before  the  French  had  been  made  to  feel  at  home  and 
had  settled  down  to  a  long  stay. 

General  Rochambeau's  defences  consisted  of  a  line 
of  earthworks  completely  enclosing  Newport  on  the 
north,  cutting  off  access  to  it  by  land  from  any  other 
part  of  the  island.  Traces  of  this  line  can  still  be  dis 
cerned  by  the  inquiring  visitor  to  Newport.  Strong 
temporary  fortifications  were  thrown  up  at  Brenton's 
Point  on  the  future  site  of  our  Fort  Adams,  and  on  all 
of  the  islands  of  the  harbor  were  placed  guns.  The 
northern  water-front  of  the  city  was  held  by  a  strong 
redoubt,  built  by  Rochambeau  and  known  as  Fort 
Greene.  This  was  at  the  site  of  the  present  Fort  Greene 
Park,  at  the  head  of 'Washington  Street. 

Rochambeau  was  the  second  visitor  to  these  shores 
v/ith  a  French  army.  The  first  allies  had  not  made  a 
pleasant  impression  with  the  Americans,  it  must  be  ad 
mitted,  chiefly  because  of  their  leader's,  D'Estaing's, 
apparent  unwillingness  to  come  to  grips  with  the  enemy 
except  where  such  action  might  directly  benefit  his  own 
country.  Doubtless  he  acted  on  orders  from  Versailles! 
But  General  Rochambeau  seemed  to  be  under  different 
instructions,  for  he  immediately  placed  himself  under 

15  225 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


the  authority  of  the  American  leaders  and  ingratiated 
himself  with  the  people.  His  stay  at  Newport  is  a 
brilliant  chapter  in  the  social  history  of  that  city. 

One  of  the  pleasantest  episodes  of  the  French  occu 
pation  of  Newport  was  the  visit  of  Washington  to  his 
French  associate  in  arms.  Rochambeau  had  chosen  as 
his  residence  and  headquarters  the  comfortable  and 
beautiful  dwelling  at  the  corner  of  Clarke  and  Mary 
Streets  known  as  the  Vernon  House.  In  March,  1781, 
Washington,  accompanied  by  his  young  aide-de-camp, 
Lafayette,  came  to  Newport  and  was  received  here  with 
much  formality.  The  interest  with  which  the  French 
officers  regarded  their  guest  is  evidenced  in  some  of  the 
journals  which  they  published  at  the  close  of  the  war 
on  their  return  to  their  own  country.  Amongst  minor 
incidents,  Washington  led  a  dance  with  the  beautiful 
Miss  Champlin,  and  French  officers,  taking  the  instru 
ments  from  the  musicians'  hands,  played  a  minuet,  "  A 
Successful  Campaign." 

A  merry  time  this  French  occupation  of  Newport 
brought  about,  and  traditions  of  the  gayeties  and  por 
tentous  politenesses  of  the  period  are  still  retailed  in 
the  little  city.  A  finer  body  of  men  than  the  French 
army  had  probably  never  taken  the  field.  Many  had 
been  through  the  Seven  Years  War.  Officers  of  the 
most  cultured  circles  of  the  Old  World  embraced  a 
chance  of  campaigning  in  the  New  World  with  the 
pleasure  of  school-boys  in  a  new  experience. 

226 


FORT  ADAMS 


One  of  the  officers  of  the  French  force  was  the  Vis 
count  de  Noailles,  in  whose  regiment  Napoleon  was 
afterward  a  subaltern.  Another  was  Biron,  a  figure  in 
the  French  Revolution,  and  who  in  1793,  having  un 
successfully  commanded  the  republican  armies  in  La 
Vendee,  was  guillotined.  There  was  the  Marquis  de 
Chastellux, — an  elegant, — whose  petits  soupers  became 
the  talk  of  every  one  fortunate  enough  to  be  invited. 
Later  Chastellux's  "  Travels  in  America  "  were  to  be 
come  a  treasured  gallery  of  pictures  of  the  nation  when 
it  was  new.  There  were  Talleyrand,  Chabannes, 
Champcenetz,  de  Melfort,  la  Touche,  de  B arras,  de 
Broglie,  Vauban,  and  Berthier,  the  military  confidant 
of  Napoleon,  and  many  others.  With  such  an  infusion 
of  genius  and  culture  it  is  not  remarkable  that  the  little 
city  developed  an  exotic  bloom  and  that  the  records  of 
this  period  in  Newport  are  among  the  gayest  in  Amer 
ican  social  history.  Nor  should  one  be  surprised  that 
the  anxious  mothers  of  young  daughters  of  Newport 
in  that  time  (as  we  learn  now  from  the  betraying  evi 
dences  of  long  preserved  letters)  passed  vigilant  hours 
of  watchfulness  in  the  sudden  maelstrom  of  French 
gallantry ! 

The  Chevalier  de  Ternay,  commander  at  sea  of  the 
French  forces,  died  soon  after  the  arrival  at  Newport 
and  was  buried  in  Trinity  church-yard  where  a  slab  was 
erected  to  his  memory. 

In  1781  the  French  marched  out  of  Newport,  joined 

227 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


Washington  in  his  campaign  at  Yorktown,  and  the 
result  soon  was  the  surrender  of  Cornwallis  and  the 
virtual  end  of  the  War  of  Independence. 

In  May,  1794,  Governor  Fenner  addressed  the  fol 
lowing  letter  to  George  Champlin,  of  Newport : 

Last  evening  I  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  Rochefontaine  the 
engineer  dated  New  London  .  .  .  informing  me  that  he  should 
depart  from  New  London  for  Newport  this  day  and  desiring  me 
to  transmit  to  him  my  orders  and  the  names  of  the  gentlemen 
appointed  by  me  to  be  the  agents  for  the  fortifications  and  to 
supervise  their  execution.  I  have  to  ask  the  favor  of  you  to 
undertake  the  business  with  Col.  Sherburne  until  my  arrival  at 
Newport,  and  to  wait  on  the  engineer  and  deliver  him  my  letter 
of  appointment.  Give  him  the  necessary  information  and  as 
sistance.  Your  compliance  will  render  great  service  to  the 
State  and  in  a  particular  manner  oblige  your  ob't  servant, 

A.  FENNER. 

The  building  of  the  new  fort  was  assigned  to  Major 
Louis  Toussard,  and  soon  it  was  ready  for  its  dedica 
tion.  At  the  time  of  this  ceremony  the  battery  was 
completed  and  was  mounted  with  32-pounders  on  sea- 
coast  carriages. 

Strangely  enough  it  was  as  a  protection  from  the 
very  allies  with  whom  the  United  States  had  triumphed 
against  Great  Britain  that  Fort  Adams  was  called  into 
being.  It  will  be  recalled  by  the  reader  of  history  that 
at  this  period  France  under  the  Directory  was  in  con 
stant  embroilment  with  the  United  States.  Citizen 

228 


FORT  ADAMS 


Talleyrand  was  bent  upon  turning  the  new  nation  to 
France's  ends.  In  1798  a  French  cruiser  actually  had 
the  impudence,  after  the  capture  of  several  American 
vessels,  to  bring  her  prizes  into  an  American  port  to 
escape  the  more  dreaded  British.  President  Adams,  as 
all  know,  eventually  brought  the  Directoire  Executif 
and  Citizen  Talleyrand  to  their  senses  in  no  uncertain 
fashion,  but  for  a  time  affairs  between  the  two  countries 
were  in  a  very  unsatisfactory  condition. 

To  President  Adams  is  due,  too,  the  foundation  of 
the  present  American  navy  and  the  increasing  impor 
tance  of  Fort  Adams.  He  saw  the  necessity  in  the 
future  for  a  great  naval  base  well  located  on  the  coast. 
A  commissioner  sent  out  by  him  reported  that  the  harbor 
of  Newport  most  fully  answered  the  specifications  he 
had  in  mind,  and  from  this  time  the  works  on  Brenton's 
Point  acquired  a  new  value. 

The  greater  part  of  the  construction  of  the  second 
Fort  Adams,  which  was  begun  in  1824,  was  done  under 
the  personal  supervision  of  General  J.  G.  Totten  of  the 
United  States  army  in  coast  defence.  It  is  said  that 
during  the  progress  of  the  work  a  full  set  of  plans  of 
the  fortress  mysteriously  disappeared  and  as  mysteri 
ously  reappeared  after  a  long  interval.  Gossip  also 
gratuitously  asserts  that  a  copy  of  these  plans  could  be 
found  in  the  Admiralty  office  of  Great  Britain.  How 
ever  that  may  be,  the  plans  would  be  of  little  value  to 
any  one  to-day. 

229 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


Associated  with  Totten  was  that  General  Bernard 
of  the  first  Napoleon's  staff  who  was  raised  from  the 
ranks  by  the  Corsican  for  his  skill  as  a  military  engineer. 
Bernard  came  to  the  United  States  in  1816  and  offered 
his  services  to  the  infant  republic.  While  his  gifts 
have  been  generally  conceded,  his  personality  must  have 
been  far  from  winning.  Colonel  McCree,  chief  of  en 
gineers,  resigned  rather  than  serve  with  him,  and  har 
mony  between  the  Frenchman  and  Colonel  Totten  was 
only  secured  by  an  agreement  through  which  work  was 
divided  and  each  man  was  bound  to  accept  the  other's 
plans. 

There  are  passages  beneath  the  walls  of  Fort  Adams 
known  only  to  the  engineers.  These  are  always  closed, 
for  they  are  of  no  use  in  piping  times  of  peace  and 
might  become  a  trap  for  curious,  unwary  visitors.  A 
story  is  told  of  an  exploring  party  years  ago,  before 
the  entrances  were  barred.  This  party  penetrated  far 
beneath  the  fort.  Suddenly  their  lantern  went  out  and  a 
scream  and  a  splash  from  the  front  showed  that  one 
of  the  party  was  in  distress.  A  beautiful  girl  had 
stepped  over  the  edge  of  a  subterranean  reservoir. 
What  could  be  done!  There  was  a  rush  and  another 
splash.  One  of  the  young  men  had  jumped  in  the  dark 
into  the  dank  pool  beside  the  drowning  girl.  He  was 
able  to  keep  himself  and  his  fair  charge  afloat  until  a 
rope  reached  them.  The  hero  of  the  tale  was  the  late 
Washington  Van  Zandt  of  the  Newport  family. 

230 


FORT  ADAMS 


During  the  War  of  1812  Fort  Adams  saw  no  active 
service,  and  this  is  true,  too,  of  the  Civil  War. 

The  vicinity  of  Newport  held  many  fortified  points 
during  the  Revolutionary  War  and  some  of  the  remains 
of  these  can  be  seen  to-day.  One  of  the  most  interest 
ing  of  these  relics  is  "  Dumplings,"  at  the  southern  tip 
of  Conanicut  Isle.  A  belligerent  little  round  stone 
tower,  it  has  as  pugnacious  an  appearance  to-day  as  it 
had  when  a  few  hardy  Americans  garrisoned  it  against 
the  English;  and  it  is  a  favorite  picnic  point  for  parties 
from  Newport  or  from  the  summer  colonies  on  the  west 
side  of  Narragansett  Bay.  Other  ruined  defences 
(grass-grown  and  decayed)  are  to  be  found  on  Conani 
cut  whose  history  is  so  obscure  that  even  legend  has  little 
to  say  about  them;  but  they  are  all  a  part  of  the  expres 
sion  of  the  doughty  spirit  which  moved  Newport  and  its 
vicinity  during  the  Revolution. 

Goat  Island  in  Newport  Harbor,  now  the  home  of 
the  Fort  Wolcott  torpedo  station,  and  a  naval  hospital, 
was,  we  are  told  by  Edward  Field,  in  his  interesting 
monograph,  "  Revolutionary  Defences  in  Rhode 
Island,"  the  site  of  a  fortification  as  early  as  1700. 
This  early  fortification  was  known  as  Fort  Anna;  later 
Fort  George;  then,  Fort  Liberty;  and,  at  the  time  of 
the  Revolution,  Fort  Washington. 


FORT  MONROE 

OLD  POINT  COMFORT— VIRGINIA 


ORNING  bugle  call,  the  evening 
gun,  grey  ships  of  war  stealing  in 
from  a  misty  sea  with  long  plumes 
of  soft  black  smoke,  military  uni 
forms  on  the  streets  and  trig  bright 
houses  are,  probably,  the  average 
civilian's  impressions  of  a  stay  at 
Old  Point  Comfort  where  is  located  Fort  Monroe. 
"  Fort "  or  "  Fortress,"  for  the  place  changes  its  sex 
indifferently  according  to  the  state  of  mind  of  the 
speaker,  it  probably  satisfies  the  popular  conception  of 
a  mighty  stronghold  of  defence  more  completely  than 
any  other  such  establishment  in  the  United  States. 
And,  indeed,  it  is  a  great  defensive  work,  guarding  one 
of  the  most  vital  points  of  entrance  in  this  country, 
menacing  hostile  approach  to  the  very  capital  of  the 
country  itself. 

At  the  southern  limit  of  the  western  shore  of  the 
Chesapeake  Bay  is  a  long  sandy  peninsula  whose  ex 
tremity  in  times  of  flood  is  cut  off  from  the  mainland 
by  a  narrow  wash  of  water,  and  on  this  sometimes  iso 
lated  tip  of  the  peninsula  is  situated  Fort  Monroe.  The 
grounds  of  the  reservation,  which  includes  all  of  the 
residence  portion  of  the  little  community,  too,  embrace 
about  280  acres  of  almost  always  dry  land.  The  walls 

232 


n     >X 


r~      ^ 

5    "5 


FORT  MONROE 


of  the  fort  itself  encircle  the  greater  part  of  this  number 
of  acres. 

From  the  summit  of  these  walls  one  looks  out  upon 
a  wide  prospect  of  waters.  To  the  south  is  Hampton 
Roads,  into  which  empty  the  waters  of  the  James,  the 
Elizabeth  and  the  Nansemond  Rivers.  To  the  east  lies 
the  wide  expanse  of  the  lower  Chesapeake  Bay,  giving 
access  to  the  Potomac  and  the  network  of  other  rivers 
which  the  bay  holds  as  tributaries.  From  all  directions 
except  from  the  west  pours  in  upon  Old  Point  a  vivi 
fying  draught  of  pure  salt  air.  From  the  west, — from 
the  mainland, — come  all  manner  of  humidities,  unpleas 
antness  and  mosquitoes,  but  this  is  only  one  of  four 
points  of  the  compass. 

It  is  a  healthy  place,  this  Old  Point  Comfort,  so 
healthy,  indeed,  that  in  a  grave  government  report  of 
1877  the  army  surgeon  at  the  post  tells  his  superiors 
in  Washington  that  there  is  a  legend  in  the  army  that 
the  air  of  the  place  conduces  to  fecundity  in  the  families 
stationed  there.  He  adds  that  from  his  own  professional 
practice  and  his  observation  of  the  number  of  children 
playing  in  the  streets  he  believes  that  there  is  more  than 
fancy  in  the  idea ! 

The  visitor  to  Fort  Monroe  will  almost  invariably 
come  by  water,  though  there  is  a  roundabout  way  of 
reaching  the  post  by  way  of  trolley  from  Newport  News 
— through  quaint  old  Hampton,  past  Hampton  Institute 
and  over  a  long  trestle  to  the  reservation.  He  will  see, 

233 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


first,  on  putting  foot  upon  the  wharf  and  fighting  off 
the  hungry  hordes  of  hackmen  and  baggage  smashers, 
the  red  walls  of  a  popular  hotel.  To  the  right  is  a 
triangular  park,  on  the  far  side  of  whose  spread  of 
green  is  a  row  of  modern  cottages  of  pretentious  archi 
tecture,  which  are  given  over  to  the  superior  officers 
stationed  at  the  post.  Beyond  the  roofs  of  these  can 
be  seen,  in  glimpses,  the  battlements  of  the  old  fort. 
Perhaps  our  visitor  will  penetrate  on  farther  back  into 
the  grounds,  along  the  winding  main  street,  until  he 
comes  to  the  main  entrance  to  the  fort,  faced  by  an  inn 
much  used  by  officers  and  the  military  set.  Here  there 
are  cottages,  of  less  imposing  aspect  than  those  facing 
the  sea,  which  are  given  over  to  the  younger  officers  and 
their  families.  Here  also  one  has  his  first  clear  view  of 
the  fort  walls. 

Without  a  doubt  it  is  recollection  of  the  moat  that 
one  carries  away  from  Fortress  Monroe,  primarily. 
This  broad  band  of  water,  encircling  the  high,  grey  old 
walls  of  the  place,  appeals  strongly  to  one's  romantic 
sense.  Ho,  warder!  to  the  draw-bridge!  And  all  that 
sort  of  thing.  There  is  a  draw-bridge,  too, — five  of 
them,  in  fact,  at  the  five  entrances  to  the  fort.  So,  ho, 
for  the  draw-bridge  and  a  view  inside  the  fort! 

The  visitor  who  crosses  the  narrow  way  leading 
across  the  moat  and  penetrates  to  the  interior  of  For 
tress  Monroe  will  not  be  greatly  impressed  by  show  of 
military  works.  These  are  all  quietly  and  modestly 

234 


FORT  MONROE 


ready  in  the  background,  somewhere.  He  will  find  him 
self  in  a  charming  sort  of  park  which  strongly  suggests 
the  tropics  in  its  luxuriance  of  foliage  of  all  kinds. 
Indeed  the  air  of  Old  Point,  for  some  reasons,  supports 
tropical  plant  growth  that  will  not  live  in  the  country 
side  immediately  adjoining.  One  of  the  effective  sights 
that  the  visitor  sees  in  the  fort  are  the  clumps  of  fig 
trees  which  are  to  be  found,  and  there  are  to  be  found, 
too,  magnolia  and  rhododendron  and  crape  myrtle. 

There  is  a  large  parade  ground,  flanked  on  the  east 
and  north  by  long  barracks.  The  rest  of  the  grounds, 
not  including  the  casemates,  is  given  over  to  residences, 
to  various  store-houses  and  to  a  building  of  the  Coast 
Artillery  School  which  has  been  located  at  Monroe  since 
1867. 

The  casemates  of  the  old  fort  are  used  as  residences 
for  married  private  soldiers  and  for  other  purposes,  not 
transparently  military.  The  long  rows  of  heavy  cannon 
once  to  be  seen  here  are  to  be  found  no  more,  their  place 
being  taken  by  modern  batteries  elsewhere. 

There  is  to  be  seen  the  casemate  in  which  Jefferson 
Davis,  president  of  the  Confederate  States,  was  con 
fined  after  the  working  out  of  the  destiny  of  the  Lost 
Cause.  It  is  not  different  from  its  neighbors,  and  is  an 
inconspicuous  little  compartment  in  a  wall  with  an  orna 
mental  little  two-post  doorway  and  one  window.  Many 
curious  visitors  stop  before  it. 

Old  Point  Comfort  and  all  of  this  section  of  the 

235 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


lower  Chesapeake  have  seen  many  strange  visitors  and 
cargoes  in  the  Past.  Doughty  old  Captain  John  Smith 
came  to  Hampton  Roads  and  wrote  about  what  he  saw 
with  that  wealth  of  picturesque  detail  which  those  old 
chroniclers  loved  to  pour  forth.  The  name  Point  Com 
fort  itself  came  from  the  circumstance  that  Smith  was 
cast  into  this  Hampton  Roads  on  the  wings  of  a  storm 
at  sea  and  that  he  hailed  the  first  strip  of  solid  land  that 
he  saw  as  a  comfort,  indeed.  At  an  early  period  a  settle 
ment  was  made  here,  as  a  subsidiary  of  the  Jamestown 
colony,  and,  as  early  as  1611,  a  fort  was  built  on  the 
point  as  a  defence  against  Indians  and  freebooting 
marauders  of  buccaneer  type.  The  fort  was  armed  and 
known  as  Fort  Algernon,  in  honor  of  Lord  Algernon 
Percie,  one  of  the  directors  of  the  Virginia  Company. 
The  greatest  fort  of  the  country  was  once  called 
Algernon! 

This  little  fortification  was  not  of  long  life,  however. 
It  was  maintained  for  a  few  years  by  the  Jamestown 
colony  but  went  into  decay  after  the  failure  of  its 
parent.  The  strategic  value  of  the  Point  as  a  place  for 
defence  was  not  lost  sight  of,  however,  in  any  succeed 
ing  generation,  though  the  place  was  not  called  into 
service  for  many  years. 

The  foundations  of  Fortress  Monroe  were  laid  in 
1819,  and  the  works  were  carried  forward  actively  for 
ten  years.  The  plans  were  drawn  by  the  famous 
Bernard,  one-time  aide-de-camp  of  the  first  Napoleon, 

236 


£_    -• 

•_f.      2 

1;  I-  s 

-.  3- 
If 
~  J! 

s-  S 


FORT  MONROE 


and  one  of  his  leading  engineers.  It  was  Bernard's  am 
bition  to  construct  in  the  United  States  (he  came  to  the 
United  States  in  1816  and  immediately  entered  the  em 
ploy  of  the  government)  one  great  fortress  like  the 
works  of  Antwerp,  in  the  fortification  of  which  he  had 
a  large  share.  Fort  Monroe,  named  in  honor  of  the 
president  who  did  so  much  to  make  sure  that  the  coast 
defences  of  the  country  should  be  adequately  founded, 
was  the  result  of  this  vision. 

It  is  to  be  seen  that  the  life  of  the  present  fortifica 
tion  begins  after  the  War  of  1812,  but  the  military  his 
tory  of  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Monroe  prior  to  that  time  is 
full  of  interest. 

During  the  Revolution  the  mouth  of  the  Chesapeake 
was  guarded  by  British  cruisers  and  a  rigorous  blockade 
was  maintained.  Despite  this,  during  the  war  no  less 
than  248  privateers  were  fitted  out  in  the  waters  of  the 
Chesapeake  and  managed  to  gain  the  high  seas  by  elud 
ing  the  vigilance  of,  the  patrol  beyond  the  capes. 

In  1779  General  Leslie  sailed  from  New  York  with 
3000  of  His  Majesty's  troopers  to  land  upon  the  penin 
sula  not  far  from  the  site  of  Fort  Monroe  and  there  to 
await  orders  from  Lord  Cornwallis,  who  was  in  North 
Carolina.  He  entered  Hampton  Roads  and  took  Nor 
folk  and  Portsmouth,  fortifying  the  latter  place  as  a 
base  for  future  operations.  After  some  weeks  of  in 
activity,  he  re-embarked  and  sailed  to  reinforce  Corn 
wallis  at  Charleston.  In  the  following  year  Clinton 

237 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


ordered  the  traitor  Arnold  with  50  sail  and  1600  soldiers 
to  replace  Leslie. 

The  Arnold  expedition  proceeded  up  the  James 
River  in  1781  and  set  the  torch  to  the  public  buildings 
of  Richmond.  After  pillaging  Petersburg,  it  returned 
to  Portsmouth  and  threw  up  strong  intrenchments. 
Lafayette  attempted  to  stay  this  destroying  band  but 
had  not  force  enough  of  his  own  and  did  not  receive 
expected  reinforcement.  The  fleet  which  had  been  sent 
to  augment  his  numbers  was  engaged  by  the  British 
under  Admiral  Arbuthnot  off  the  capes  and  compelled, 
after  a  hot  engagement,  to  withdraw  to  Newport.  The 
English  thus  retained  their  hold  on  Hampton  Roads 
and  were  enabled  to  send  additional  forces  to  General 
Arnold  under  General  Phillips.  In  April  the  combined 
forces  under  Arnold  moved  again  up  the  James  River, 
burning  and  pillaging. 

Cornwallis  occupied  Portsmouth  shortly  after  this, 
but  soon  again  moved  to  Yorktown,  where  he  threw  up 
huge  intrenchments,  the  outlines  of  which  are  plainly 
discernible  at  the  present  day.  In  September,  1781,  the 
French  under  Comte  de  Grasse  were  successful  in  enter 
ing  the  Chesapeake  to  co-operate  with  Washington, 
Lafayette  and  Rochambeau.  The  British  fleet  under 
Admiral  Graves  sturdily  contested  the  capes,  but  was 
forced  to  surrender  the  hold  which  it  had  maintained 
so  effectively.  In  the  ensuing  month  occurred  the  his 
toric  surrender  of  Cornwallis. 

238 


FORT  MONROE 


During  the  War  of  1812,  a  British  order  in  council 
declared  the  Chesapeake  to  be  in  a  state  of  blockade,  and 
in  1813  Rear- Admiral  Cockburn  of  His  Majesty's  navy 
was  sent  to  Lynnhaven  Bay,  near  Norfolk.  The  Amer 
icans  had  a  large  flotilla  in  Hampton  Roads,  and  had 
constructed  Forts  Norfolk  and  Nelson  on  the  Elizabeth 
River  near  Norfolk  and  had  thrown  up  intrenchments 
on  Craney  Island,  these  dispositions  all  being  under  the 
direction  of  Brigadier  General  Robert  B.  Taylor. 

At  daybreak  of  June  22,  1813,  a  determined  attack 
was  made  by  the  British  under  Cockburn  from  land  and 
sea,  which  was  repulsed.  Three  days  later  quiet  Hamp 
ton  was  captured  after  a  gallant  defence  by  an  inade 
quate  garrison  and  the  town  pillaged  in  barbaric  fashion. 
Soon  after,  Cockburn  withdrew  to  the  coasts  of  South 
Carolina  and  Georgia,  but  resumed  his  operations  in  the 
lower  Chesapeake  March  1,  1814.  In  July,  1814,  he 
was  largely  reinforced  and  with  a  combined  land  and 
naval  expedition  commenced  that  march  up  the  Chesa 
peake  which  culminated  in  the  sacking  of  Washington 
and  the  final  repulse  of  the  expedition  at  Fort  Mc- 
Henry.  This  was  the  last  important  engagement  of 
the  War  of  1812. 

During  the  Civil  War  Fortress  Monroe  saw  stirring 
scenes,  though  it  had  no  very  active  part  in  any  of  them. 
In  October,  1861,  Hampton  Roads  off  the  fort  was  the 
rendezvous  for  great  land  and  naval  forces  under 
Admiral  Dupont  and  General  Sherman  designed  to 

239 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


capture  Hilton  Head.  In  the  January  following 
another  great  force  was  brought  together  here  for  oper 
ations  on  the  Carolina  coast.  In  the  spring  of  1862 
McClellan's  army  arrived  at  Old  Point  and  went  to 
Yorktown. 

In  March  of  1862  occurred  in  Hampton  Roads  the 
episodes  of  the  Merrimac.  A  watcher  on  the  walls  of 
Fort  Monroe  would  have  seen  this  queer,  square  vessel, 
covered  with  railroad  iron,  sailing  down  the  blue  waters. 
He  might  have  seen  the  sinking  of  the  Cumberland  with 
the  greater  part  of  her  crew  despite  her  desperate,  im 
potent  efforts  against  this  new  kind  of  adversary.  He 
might  have  witnessed  the  destruction  of  the  Congress 
by  fire  and  the  partial  disabling  of  the  Minnesota.  He 
might  have  heard  in  the  old  fort  that  night  the  barrack- 
room  gossip  of  the  new  giant  and  whispers  of  the  ex 
pected  arrival  of  a  United  States  champion  which  was 
to  take  up  the  gage  of  combat.  The  next  day  he  might 
have  seen  from  the  ramparts  the  struggle  between  the 
Merrimac  and  the  Monitor,  which  ushered  in  a  new 
chapter  in  naval  warfare  and  began  the  era  of  the  steel- 
clad  knight  of  the  seas. 

Later  Old  Point  Comfort  became  the  base  of  opera 
tion  of  the  Army  of  the  James. 

In  1893,  during  the  celebration  of  the  Columbian 
Exposition,  Hampton  Roads  was  the  rendezvous  under 
the  guns  of  old  Monroe  for  the  vessels  of  all  of  the 
nations  of  the  world.  The  old  fort  sees  the  most  im 
portant  manoeuvres  of  the  United  States  navy  of  to-day. 

240 


FORTS  SUMTER  AND  MOULTRIE 

NEAR  CHARLESTON— SOUTH  CAROLINA 


£)  HE  bombardment  of  Fort  Sumter 
from  Fort  Moultrie  began  at 
dawn  of  April  12,  1861,  and  con 
tinued  without  remission  for 
about  36  hours,  or  until  noon  of 
the  second  day.  During  that 
time,  though  shot  and  shell  played 
havoc  with  the  walls  of  both  the  besiegers  and  the  be 
sieged,  no  human  being  was  hurt, — a  strange  prelim 
inary,  indeed,  to  the  most  murderous  civil  war  since 
the  invention  of  gunpowder  in  the  history  of  the  world. 
This  has  been  called  the  first  time  in  history  that 
two  forts  waged  battle  against  each  other.  It  was  like 
two  strong  men,  tied  by  the  feet,  almost  beyond  reach 
of  each  other,  being  allowed  to  strike  at  each  other  until 
one  or  the  other  should  fall. 

To  understand  something  of  the  conditions  which 
governed  this  very  historic  bout  between  Fort  Sumter 
and  Fort  Moultrie,  one  must  have  some  idea  of  the  lay 
of  the  land  at  Charleston.  Charleston,  itself,  it  may  be 
pointed  out,  is  situated  on  a  long  narrow  spit  of  land  at 
the  juncture  of  the  Ashley  and  Cooper  Rivers.  The 
arrow-head  formed  by  these  two  rivers  points  almost 
directly  toward  the  mouth  of  Charleston  Bay,  where  the 
waters  of  the  two  rivers  joined  mingle  with  the  Atlantic 
Ocean.  Let  us  go  to  the  point  of  the  arrow-head  upon 

16  241 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


which  Charleston  is  situated,  to  the  Battery, — that  is, 
Charleston's  most  famous  public  park, — and  gaze  sea 
ward:  Five  miles  away,  across  a  shimmering  blue,  we 
see  a  little  geometrical  dot  almost  midway  between  the 
jaws  which  hold  Charleston  Bay.  This  is  Fort  Sumter, 
a  little  stone  work  built  by  the  United  States  Govern 
ment  in  1828  on  a  sandy  shallow.  Fort  Moultrie  is 
situated  on  Sullivan's  Island,  on  the  northern  one  of  the 
two  jaws  of  the  bay,  a  body  of  land  really  distinct  from 
the  mainland  but  which  seems  from  this  distance  to  be 
a  part  of  that  land.  Of  the  two  fortifications,  Fort 
Moultrie  is  the  older  and  by  long  odds  the  more  inter 
esting  as  to  past. 

Wise  heads  of  both  sections  in  1860  saw  that  war 
was  inevitable  between  the  North  and  the  South,  though 
patriots  did  their  best  to  prevent  armed  conflict.  But 
the  doctrine  of  State  individualism  or  State's  Rights 
was  too  firmly  established  to  be  gotten  from  the  body 
corporate  without  a  purging  of  blood,  just  as  individual 
rights  in  the  social  structure  can  never  be  enforced  to 
the  last  limit  without  conflicting  with  the  community 
purpose.  So  when,  on  Christmas  night,  1860,  Major 
Anderson,  commanding  at  Fort  Moultrie,  moved  his 
whole  force  secretly  over  to  the  sub-post,  Fort  Sumter, 
and  sent  his  women  and  children  to  Charleston,  with 
the  request  that  they  be  sent  north,  the  citizens  of 
Charleston,  at  least,  knew  that  the  issue  had  been 
squarely  met,  to  be  settled  at  the  court  of  last  resort. 

242 


FORT  SUMTER 


Mrs.  St.  Julien  Ravenel,  in  her  delightful  reminis 
cences  of  Charleston,  writes: 

Doubt  and  delay  were  gone.  Then  came  the  call  to  arms  .  .  . 
January,  February,  and  March  were  so  full  of  crowded  life 
that  they  seemed  an  eternity,  yet  one  dreaded  lest  eternity 
should  end.  End  it  did  when  one  night  at  eleven  o'clock  seven 
guns  thundered  out  over  the  town  and  every  man  sprang  up, 
seized  his  rifle  and  ran  to  the  wharves.  It  was  the  signal  that 
the  relieving  fleet  (from  the  north)  was  on  its  way  south,  and 
that  the  whole  reserve  must  hurry  to  the  islands. 

During  all  this  time  Fort  Sumter  had  been  supplied 
with  provisions  and  necessaries  by  the  citizens  of 
Charleston. 

When  Major  Anderson  in  command  at  Fort  Sumter 
accepted  Beauregard's  terms  of  surrender  and  saluted 
the  new  flag,  he  was  conveyed,  with  all  the  honors  of 
war,  in  the  steamer  Isabel  to  the  United  States  fleet 
which  had  lain  idle  in  the  offing. 

From  this  time  until  the  end  of  the  Civil  War 
Charleston  was  in  a  state  of  siege.  There  was  a  short 
period  of  preparation  on  both  sides  before  the  Federal 
fleet  appeared,  November,  1861,  outside  the  quaint  old 
city.  The  city  maintained  its  integrity  complete  against 
attacks  by  water,  and  finally  fell  to  a  move  in  force  by 
land  in  the  last  year  of  the  war,  when  the  defenders  of 
Charleston  were  withdrawn  and  all  of  the  men  of  the 
remnants  of  the  armies  of  the  Confederacy  were  being 

243 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


concentrated  for  one  last  desperate  protest  against  the 
inevitable. 

After  the  Civil  War  Fort  Sumter  was  repaired  and 
strengthened  and  is  still  a  seat  of  military  power  as  a 
sub-post  of  Fort  Moultrie. 

To  reach  Fort  Moultrie  one  goes  from  Charleston 
by  ferry  to  the  northern  side  of  the  Cooper  River  and 
takes  a  trolley  which  leads  seaward  along  the  coast 
across  an  inlet  to  Sullivan's  Island,  which  has  become  a 
popular  summer  place  with  many  people  of  Charleston. 

Fort  Moultrie,  when  once  it  is  reached,  is  not  a 
pretentious  place, — the  old  works,  that  is, — being  simply 
a  star-shaped  fort  of  brownish-red  brick  on  which  the 
hot  southern  sun  pours  down  in  quantity.  It  overlooks 
a  rumpled  beach  and  the  sea  on  one  side  and  flat  unin 
teresting  land  on  the  other.  To  the  seaward  one  can 
gaze  upon  Fort  Sumter  and  find  it  not  more  interesting 
of  aspect  close  at  hand  than  it  is  at  a  distance.  Beside 
the  gate  of  Fort  Moultrie  is  a  small  marble  shaft  which 
marks  the  grave  of  Osceola,  the  Seminole  chieftain.  If 
one  has  devoured  Indian  tales  in  his  youth  he  will  no 
doubt  be  more  interested  in  this  simple  memorial  than 
in  the  immediate  aspect  of  military  things  around  him. 
It  was  in  Fort  Moultrie  that  Osceola  was  jailed  after 
his  capture  in  Florida  and  it  was  here  that  he  died,— 
from  a  broken  heart,  if  one  is  still  interested  in  Indian 
stories ! 

The  present  Fort  Moultrie  was  started  in  1841  on 

244 


FORT  MOULTRIE 


the  site  of  a  famous  old  palmetto  structure  of  the  same 
name  which  had  stood  since  early  Revolutionary  days. 
In  1903,  with  the  exquisite  tact  which  it  displays  occa 
sionally,  army  headquarters  in  Washington  decided  to 
change  the  name  of  the  fort  to  Fort  Getty  in  honor  of 
some  deserving  soldier  whose  career  is  recorded  in  the 
files  of  the  Army  Department,  but  the  loud  chorus  of 
indignation  that  greeted  this  move  carried  all  the  way 
from  Charleston  to  Washington,  and  the  name  of  that 
delightful  old  Revolutionary  character,  William  H. 
Moultrie,  is  still  preserved  at  the  spot  where  his  first 
battle  was  fought. 

The  foundations  of  Fort  Moultrie  were  laid  in 
January,  1776,  when  a  Mr.  Dewees,  owner  of  the  island 
which  bears  his  name,  was  ordered  to  deliver  at  Sul 
livan's  Island  palmetto  logs  eighteen  to  twenty  feet 
long  and  not  less  than  ten  inches  in  diameter  in  the 
middle;  and  Colonel  Moultrie  was  ordered  to  superin 
tend  the  erection  of  a  fort  from  this  material.  It  was 
not  completed  in  June  when  the  British  came  into  view. 
In  design  a  double  square  pen  it  was  built  of  palmetto 
logs  piled  one  upon  the  other  and  securely  bolted  to 
gether;  the  space  between  the  outer  and  inner  pen  was 
about  sixteen  feet  and  this  was  filled  in  with  sand; 
there  were  square  bastions.  The  walls  were  intended 
to  be  ten  feet  high  above  the  gun  platforms  where  were 
mounted  64  guns. 

The  British  fleet  bearing  a  land  force  was  under 

245 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


the  command  of  Admiral  Sir  Peter  Parker,  and  reached 
Cape  Fear  early  in  May,  where  it  was  joined  by  Sir 
Henry  Clinton  from  New  York  with  a  portion  of  the 
troops  which  had  participated  in  the  Battle  of  Bunker 
Hill.  Clinton  assumed  command  of  all  the  land  forces. 
On  the  4th  of  June  the  fleet  appeared  off  Charleston 
bar  and  a  small  force  of  men  was  landed  on  Long 
Island,  the  island  just  north  of  Sullivan's  Island,  and 
on  the  28th  of  June  advanced  under  Sir  Peter  Parker 
to  give  battle  to  Fort  Sullivan,  as  Moultrie  was  then 
known.  There  were  brought  into  action  in  this  engage 
ment  the  following  English  vessels:  The  Bristol  and 
Experiment  of  50  guns  each;  the  frigates  Active,  Sole- 
bay,  Acteon,  Siren,  and  Sphinx  of  28  guns  each;  the 
Thunderbomb  and  Ranger,  sloops,  of  28  guns;  and  the 
Friendship  of  22  guns,  in  all,  a  very  powerful  squadron. 
The  Americans  had  their  unfinished  palmetto  fort,  64 
guns  and  1200  men.  Several  days  before  the  battle  the 
fussy  General  Charles  Lee,  whom  Washington  after 
wards  in  his  only  recorded  uncontrolled  exhibition  of 
temper  called,  at  the  battle  of  Monmouth,  "  a  damned 
poltroon,"  had  removed  to  another  defence  of  the  city 
half  of  the  small  quantity  of  gunpowder  which  Moultrie 
had  been  given  for  the  defence  of  his  fort. 

The  command  of  the  defence  of  Charleston  had  been 
given  to  General  Lee  by  the  Continental  Congress,  and 
General  Lee  had  appeared  in  the  city  on  the  same  day 
that  the  British  fleet  was  sighted  off  the  bar.  From 

246 


FORT  MOULTRIE 


the  first  he  seems  to  have  been  in  conflict  with  Moultrie. 
Moultrie's  fort,  he  said,  was  poorly  designed,  and  doubt 
less  it  was;  Moultrie  should  provide  a  means  of  re 
treat  for  his  men,  and  Moultrie  replied  that  they  would 
never  use  it;  and  Moultrie  this  and  that.  Moultrie 
himself,  his  admirers  were  forced  to  admit,  was  "  a 
man  of  very  easy  manners,  leaving  to  others  many 
things  which  he  had  better  have  attended  to  himself." 

But  the  point  is  that  Moultrie  carried  this  same 
easiness  of  manner  and  mental  poise  into  battle  with 
him  and  was  on  this  account  an  ideal  officer  to  direct  a 
fight.  He  had,  moreover,  the  unlimited  confidence  and 
affection  of  his  men  and  he  knew  the  people  he  was 
working  with. 

The  British  appeared  off  Fort  Sullivan  just  when 
the  feeling  between  General  Lee  and  Moultrie  was  at 
an  acute  stage.  We  find  Moultrie  now  at  face  with  the 
problem  of  defending  his  "  slaughter  pen  "  fort  against 
an  overwhelming  force  with  the  insufficient  quantity  of 
gunpowder  which  General  Lee  had  left  him. 

The  ships  formed  in  double  column  and  poured  a 
terrific  fire  upon  the  fort.  Moultrie  feared  that  the 
concussion  of  the  shells  would  rock  his  guns  off  their 
platforms.  "  Concentrate  upon  the  Admiral,  upon  the 
fifty-gun  ships!  "  This  was  Moultrie's  direction  to  his 
men.  The  Americans,  expert  marksmen  that  they  were, 
obeyed  his  commands  and  the  Bristol  and  the  Experi- 

247 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


ment  suffered  fearfully,  the  captains  of  these  two  great 
ships  being  mortally  wounded. 

The  Americans  now  began  to  run  short  of  powder. 
Colonel  Moultrie  sent  a  despatch  for  more.  He  was  in 
pressing  need,  but  no  one  would  have  guessed  it  from 
his  message  which  read  as  follows: 

I  think  we  shall  want  more  powder;  at  the  rate  we  go  on  I 
think  we  shall.  But  you  can  see  for  yourself;  pray  send  more 
if  you  think  proper. 

Rutledge  sent  500  pounds,  and  Lee,  who  was  at 
Haddrell's  with  5000  pounds  he  had  taken  from  Fort 
Sullivan,  sent  no  powder  but  the  message: 

If  you  should  unfortunately  expend  your  ammunition  with 
out  driving  off  the  enemy  spike  your  guns  and  retreat  with  all 
the  order  you  can.  I  know  you  will  be  careful  not  to  expend 
your  ammunition. 

General  Lee  had  an  idea  that  battles  were  fought 
with  bows  and  arrows  and  gunpowder  kept  to  celebrate 
the  victory  afterwards  with!  And  he  was  determined 
that  that  retreat  should  take  place,  because  he  had 
prophesied  a  retreat  by  all  the  laws  of  war  some  weeks 
before. 

The  cannonade  went  on,  the  fire  from  the  fort  being 
at  a  much  slower  tempo  than  that  from  the  ships.  And 
now  a  new  fact  was  discovered  in  the  art  of  war:  The 
soft  palmetto  logs  with  sand  in  between  were  a  better 
bulwark  than  solid  stone.  Cannon  balls  entered  them 

248 


FORT  MOULTRIE 


easily  and  stopped  just  as  easily  without  sending 
splinters  all  around.  Shells  threw  the  sand  up  in  the 
air  and  the  sand  fell  back  again  to  the  spot  whence  it 
had  risen. 

The  Bristol,  the  flag-ship,  suffered  more  than  any 
other  of  the  British  vessels.  At  one  time  Sir  Peter  was 
the  only  man  unwounded  on  the  quarter-deck,  and  he, 
too,  presently  was  hurt. 

The  Act  eon  went  hard  aground  on  the  shoal  where 
Fort  Sumter  was  afterwards  to  be  raised  and  had  to  be 
abandoned,  being  set  on  fire  before  she  was  deserted. 

The  rattle-snake  flag  flying  over  the  American  fort 
was  shot  down,  and  Sergeant  Jasper,  leaping  over  the 
parapet,  braved  the  fire  of  the  British  to  recover  the 
emblem.  Sergeant  Jasper  lost  his  life  at  Savannah  in 
an  effort  to  duplicate  this  same  feat. 

At  length  the  British  drew  off  beaten.  They  had 
lost  heavily,  on  the  flag- ship  alone  104  men  being  killed. 
The  American  loss  was  12  killed  and  25  wounded. 
When  the  news  of  this  defeat  reached  England,  though 
the  intelligence  was  given  out  by  the  Admiralty  in  the 
most  politic  fashion  possible,  it  was  a  terrible  blow  to 
English  pride.  "  That  an  English  admiral  with  a  well- 
appointed  fleet  of  270  guns  should  be  beaten  off  by  a 
miserable  little  half -built  fort  on  an  uninhabited  sand 
bank  was  incomprehensible,"  wrote  a  correspondent 
from  London.  Had  Moultrie  had  powder  enough  the 
British  loss  must  have  been  much  heavier  than  it  was. 

249 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


On  the  9th  of  April,  1780,  Fort  Moultrie  was  again 
in  action,  when  it  opened  upon  Admiral  Arbuthnot's 
fleet  which  was  sailing  into  the  harbor  in  the  course  of 
the  operations  against  Charleston  that  year.  It  was 
unable  to  prevent  the  passage  of  the  fleet  but  it  inflicted 
some  damage  to  the  vessels  and  killed  27  of  the  enemy. 
Shortly  after  Fort  Moultrie  fell  to  an  overwhelming 
force  of  British  who  attacked  by  land,  and  was  not 
again  in  action  during  the  Revolution. 


FORT  PULASKI 

AT  MOUTH,  SAVANNAH  RTVER— GEORGIA 


HE  trip  from  beautiful  Savannah 
to  the  battered  ruins  of  the  once 
famous  brick  fortress,  Pulaski, 
takes  one  through  that  gold  and 
green  country  which  one  comes 
to  associate  with  the  name  of  this 
charming  southern  city.  Fort 
Pulaski  is  that  great  hexagon  of  brick  which  one  sees 
from  incoming  steamers  on  Cockspur  Island  at  the 
mouth  of  the  muddy  Savannah  River,  and  all  the  coun 
try  round  about  is  marshy,  reedy  land,  cut  up  by  big 
and  little  streams  with  no  hills  to  be  seen  and  only 
scraggy  pine  trees  breaking  the  flat  monotony  of  the 
horizon. 

If  one  would  go  to  Fort  Pulaski  from  Savannah,  he 
seeks  out  the  little  railroad  which  runs  to  Tybee,  and 
whose  passenger  traffic  is  confined  almost  exclusively 
to  summer.  There  he  will  be  received  by  the  hospitable 
southern  trainmen  and  put  off  the  train  near  the  light 
house  which  graces  the  northern  end  of  Cockspur  Island. 
Here,  if  he  has  been  wise  and  has  made  his  arrangements 
properly,  he  will  be  met  by  a  boat  from  the  light-house 
and  will  be  carried  across  to  the  island. 

Arrived  at  the  landing  which  gives  access  to  the 
fort,  one  is  struck  by  the  graceful  desolation  of  the  scene. 
The  boards  and  timbers  of  the  wharf  have  rotted,  and 

251 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


ends  of  planks  hang  down  toward  the  water  like 
withered  arms.  Yet  the  brilliant  Georgia  sunshine  gives 
a  charm  to  it  all.  One  does  not  feel  in  the  presence  of 
decay;  one  feels  only  in  the  presence  of  something  that 
is  passing  painlessly  away. 

This  same  feeling  one  carries  up  the  long,  straight, 
muddy  path  leading  to  the  ruined  monument  of  valor 
through  the  marsh  which  surrounds  that  work.  One 
comes  to  a  broad  ditch  now  full  of  mud  and  weeds  and 
faces  the  remains  of  a  once  sturdy  draw-bridge.  Pass 
ing  over  this  and  between  the  mounds  of  former  out 
works  one  at  last  faces  the  entrance  to  Fort  Pulaski. 

The  walls  of  this  great  brick  fortress,  which  cost  a 
million  dollars  and  was  one  of  the  greatest  brick  for 
tresses  of  its  time,  tower  over  one  with  great  impressive- 
ness.  The  brick  face  is  pierced  by  long  narrow  slits  for 
rifle  fire,  and  these  peer  at  one  vacantly.  A  large  ditch, 
or  moat,  surrounds  the  fort,  and  this  still  contains  water 
owing  to  the  low  elevation  of  the  island  above  tide,  but 
it  is  choked  with  rank  vegetation  and  though  horrid  of 
aspect  would  not  be  a  serious  bar  to  the  approach  of 
any  storming  force. 

Crossing  the  ditch,  one  passes  through  a  long  pas 
sage  and  past  massive  wooden  gates  studded  with  iron 
bolts  and,  at  length,  comes  out  upon  the  parade  ground. 
Where  brilliant  columns  once  formed  and  marched  in 
martial  evolutions  now  wave  tall  saplings  except  where 
the  solitary  care-taker  of  the  fort  has  cut  these  growths 

252 


FORT  PULASKI 


down  to  make  room  for  a  vegetable  garden.  The  walls 
go  around  in  a  great  circle  above  this  parade,  the  angles 
of  the  circumference  not  being  easily  perceptible  from 
our  vantage  point.  To  the  right  hand  and  the  left  hand 
stretch  casemates  in  which  officers  and  men  dwelt.  On 
the  far  side  of  the  parade  are  open  casemates  fitted  for 
cannon,  for  this  is  the  quarter  from  which  attack  might 
be  expected.  Close  at  hand  is  a  spring  whose  clear 
water  flows  ceaselessly  from  the  rusty  iron  mouth  which 
the  hand  of  man  has  provided  and  neglected. 

Passing  across  the  parade  to  the  gun  casemates, 
which  occupy  the  flanks  of  the  fort  on  three  quarters 
of  the  compass,  one  finds  the  flooring  still  in  good  con 
dition,  this  fact  being  due  to  the  protected  nature  of 
this  part  of  the  fort  and  to  the  sturdy  quality  of  the 
planks  which  are  three  inches  thick  and  of  some  close- 
grained  wood — probably  cypress.  The  circular  gun- 
tracks  are  still  visible.  Where  one  can  peer  through 
holes  in  the  floor  one-  gazes  down  into  dank,  dark  depths 
from  which  the  light  is  reflected  evilly  by  scummy  water. 

At  the  northeast  angle  of  the  fort  are  the  remains 
of  one  of  the  magazines.  If  one  cares  to  prowl  in  here 
and  is  willing  to  make  entrance  through  a  mysterious 
black  hole  into  an  uncanny  void,  he  will  be  rewarded 
for  his  adventure  by  being  able  to  pick  up  some  rusty 
grape-shot  and  smaller  odds  and  ends  of  murderous 
looking  iron. 

Ascending  to  the  parapet  of  the  fort  by  means  of 

253 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


one  of  the  twisting  iron  stairs  which  are  to  be  found  at 
each  angle,  or  by  the  broad  stone  stairs  adjacent  to  the 
habitable  casemates,  one  has  a  wide  view  of  land  and 
sea.  To  the  east  lies  the  mouth  of  the  Savannah  River 
where  this  stream  joins  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  In  this 
direction,  too,  can  be  seen  long,  low,  sandy  Tybee  Point, 
where  Fort  Screven,  the  modern  defensive  work,  lies. 
To  the  south  are  marshes  and  in  the  distance  the  gleam 
of  the  river  up  which  the  Union  forces  brought  their 
cannon  to  attack  Fort  Pulaski  in  1862.  To  the  north 
and  west — more  marshes. 

The  island  on  which  Fort  Pulaski  is  situated  was 
acquired  by  the  government  in  1830  by  purchase  from 
Alexander  Telfair  and  sisters  (an  old  and  wealthy 
Savannah  family)  and  the  title  of  the  government 
thereto  for  the  purposes  of  a  fortification  was  confirmed 
by  the  State  of  Georgia  by  act  December  27,  1845. 
The  entire  reservation  occupies  about  150  acres. 

The  site  for  the  fort  was  selected  by  Major  General 
Babcock,  United  States  Corps  of  Engineers,  and  work 
was  begun  in  1831  under  the  direction  of  Major  General 
Mansfield.  Sixteen  years  passed  before  its  mighty 
walls,  containing  thirteen  millions  of  bricks,  were  com 
pleted.  The  name  Pulaski  was  given  to  the  fort  in 
honor  of  Count  Casimir  Pulaski,  the  Polish  patriot  who 
lost  his  life  in  the  siege  of  Savannah  by  the  Americans 
during  the  Revolution,  the  scene  of  this  sad  event  being 
the  Spring  Hill  redoubt  near  the  site  of  the  present 
Central  of  Georgia  railway  station. 

254 


FORT  PULASKI 


The  military  history  of  Fort  Pulaski  does  not  cover 
a  long  period  of  time.  When,  in  December,  1860,  the 
news  reached  Savannah  of  the  removal  of  Major  An 
derson,  in  command  of  the  United  States  forces  in 
Charleston  Harbor,  from  Fort  Moultrie  to  Fort 
Sumter,  there  was  an  open  expression  of  opinion  that 
Georgia  should  forestall  such  occupation  of  the  forts  on 
her  coast  by  the  forces  of  the  Federal  government;  and 
when,  on  January  2,  1861,  it  became  known  that  Gov 
ernor  Brown  had  ordered  the  seizure  and  occupation  of 
Fort  Pulaski  by  the  military  under  the  command  of 
Colonel  A.  R.  Lawton  on  the  following  day,  the  city 
was  wild  with  enthusiasm. 

Says  Adelaide  Wilson  in  her  delightful  history  of 
Savannah: 

Looking  back  upon  the  arrangements  that  were  made  for  the 
setting  out  of  that  first  military  expedition,  there  is  temptation 
to  smile  at  the  amount  of  impedimenta  that  was  prepared  for 
the  small  forces  of  less  lhan  two  hundred  men.  There  was  scant 
time  between  the  promulgation  of  the  order  and  the  hour  named 
for  its  execution,  yet  when,  on  the  morning  of  the  third,  the 
companies  marched  down  to  the  wharf  to  embark  on  the  little 
steamer  Ida,  it  is  safe  to  say  that  they  were  encumbered  with 
much  more  baggage  than  served  later  in  the  war  for  an  entire 
division  in  the  field.  Every  man  had  his  cot,  every  three  or  four 
men  his  mess-chest,  with  kettles,  pots,  pans  and  other  cooking 
utensils  in  liberal  allowance,  not  to  speak  of  trunks,  valises, 
mattresses,  camp-chairs,  etc., — in  all  a  pile  large  enough  to 
make  the  heart  of  a  quartermaster  sink  within  him.  It  was  evi- 

255 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


dent  that  the  troops  long  had  anticipated  the  call  upon  their 
services,  and  also  that  the  mothers,  wives  and  sisters  of  Savan 
nah  had,  with  anxious  forethought,  determined  that  their  loved 
ones  should  carry  into  service  as  many  of  the  comforts  of  home 
as  possible. 

The  siege  of  Pulaski  by  the  Federal  troops,  April, 
1862,  was  not  long  at  the  climax,  though  it  was  long  in 
preparation.  The  Federal  forces  gathered  slowly  south 
of  Savannah  and  then  moved  to  the  attack.  By  means 
of  a  channel  in  the  flats  to  the  south  of  the  fort  which 
the  Confederates  had  left  unguarded,  they  were  able  to 
post  their  guns  in  advantageous  positions.  As  the  re 
sult  of  a  heavy  bombardment  the  walls  of  the  fort  were 
battered  in  at  the  east  salient  and  the  garrison  was 
obliged  to  surrender. 

The  visitor  to  Fort  Pulaski  to-day  may  see  some 
of  the  wounds  in  the  walls  which  the  fort  sustained  on 
that  occasion.  The  worst  injuries  were  repaired  by  the 
United  States  troops  during  their  occupancy  of  the 
fort,  and  the  course  of  these  repairs  may  be  traced  by 
the  discerning  eye  through  the  different  color  of  the 
bricks. 

Shortly  after  the  Civil  War,  Fort  Pulaski  was 
abandoned.  It  is  still  controlled  by  the  government  and 
is  in  the  care  of  a  retired  soldier  of  the  United  States 
who  lives  a  life  of  seclusion,  disturbed  only  by  the  very 
infrequent  sight-seer  or  by  parties  of  young  men  of  the 
neighborhood  who  find  the  marshes  of  the  reservation 
an  excellent  gunning  preserve. 


Parade  and  Ramparts 


A*. 


The  Battered  Eastern  Salient 
SCENES  OF  DESOLATION  AT  FORT  PULASKI,  NEAR  SAVANNAH,  GA. 


FORT  MORGAN 

MOBILE  BAY— ALABAMA 


OBILE  BAY,  that  pear-shaped 
body  of  water,  with  its  far-reaching 
system  of  water  tributaries,  has 
been  a  scene  of  settlement  and 
fortification  since  the  early  days  of 
French  attempts  at  settlement  in 
the  New  World.  There  was,  to 
begin  with,  Fort  Louis  de  la  Mobile,  which  protected 
the  infant  first  settlement  of  Mobile,  precursor  of  the 
city  of  to-day.  In  various  guises  Fort  Louis  passed  from 
one  to  another  of  the  different  races  of  men  with  which 
the  history  of  Mobile  Bay  is  associated.  Then  there  are 
the  forts  placed  on  the  islands  at  the  mouth  of  Mobile 
Bay  and  the  forts  at  the  head  of  the  bay  where  the  big 
rivers  flow  in.  Finally  there  is  Fort  Morgan  (Fort 
Bowyer  to  begin  with)  which  occupies  the  point  of  that 
long,  thin  peninsula  of  land  which  forms  the  southern 
boundary  of  Mobile  Bay,  dividing  its  waters  from  the 
waters  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

Fort  Morgan  to-day  is  in  ruins  and  has  never  been 
thoroughly  rebuilt  since  its  capitulation  to  Farragut  in 
one  of  the  hottest  battles  of  the  Civil  War.  The  gov 
ernmental  reservation  of  land  on  which  the  works  are 
situated  contains  about  500  acres  and  is  occupied,  as 
well,  by  modern  defences.  The  view  from  the  point 
on  which  the  old  fort  is  situated  gives  a  wide  prospect 

17  257 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


of  blue  water  and  sky.  Across  the  ship  channel  is  his 
toric  Dauphine  Island,  on  which  Fort  Morgan's  sister 
fort,  Fort  Gaines,  was  situated,  and  where  the  govern 
ment  to-day  maintains  extensive  batteries.  To  the  right 
are  the  waters  of  Mobile  Bay,  with  the  smoke  of  the 
city  thirty  miles  to  the  north.  To  the  left  are  the  sunny 
waves  of  the  Gulf. 

The  first  that  we  hear  of  Mobile  Point  as  a  place  of 
fortification  was  in  1812,  when  the  Spanish  evacuated 
Mobile.  General  Wilkinson,  in  command  of  the  United 
States  forces  in  the  southwest,  put  nine  guns  as  a  bat 
tery  on  Mobile  Point  and  made  his  way  on  up  to  the 
city,  where  he  commenced  to  fortify  the  perdido.  Sub 
sequently  Mobile  Point  appealed  to  him  as  a  better 
place  for  defensive  works  than  a  spot  so  far  up  the  bay, 
and  he  placed  a  fortification  here,  which  was  called  Fort 
Bowyer  in  honor  of  Lieutenant- Colonel  Bowyer. 

The  next  occupant  of  Fort  Bowyer  was  a  more  pic 
turesque  personage  than  General  Wilkinson,  none  other 
than  Andrew  Jackson.  Upon  his  retirement  from 
Pensacola  in  1814,  Jackson  stopped  at  Fort  Bowyer 
and  left  a  force  there  of  130  men  under  the  leadership 
of  Major  William  Lawrence.  On  September  12  the 
British  appeared  before  the  fort  with  land  and  naval 
strength  and  demanded  the  surrender  of  the  little  struc 
ture.  Major  Lawrence  refused  to  surrender. 

The  British  strength  on  this  occasion  consisted  of 
the  Hermes  of  22  guns,  the  Sophia  of  18  guns,  the 
Car  on  of  20  guns,  Anaconda  of  18  guns,  all  vessels  of 

258 


FORT  MORGAN 


large  size,  under  the  command  of  Captain  Percy.  It 
was  a  squadron  which  Jackson  had  driven  from  Pensa- 
cola  Bay  and  it  was  thirsting  for  revenge.  There  was, 
in  addition,  a  land  force  under  Colonel  Nichols  of  a  few 
marines  and  about  600  Indians  which  assailed  Fort 
Bowyer  from  the  rear. 

The  battle  began  early  on  the  morning  of  the  15th. 
The  word  for  the  day  in  the  American  ranks  was 
"  Don't  give  up  the  fort,"  and  this  originated  an  oft- 
repeated  phrase.  A  heavy  cannonade  continued  with 
out  interruption  until  5.30  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  The 
flag-staff  of  the  Hermes,  Captain  Percy's  flag-ship,  was 
shot  away  and  Lawrence  gave  the  order  to  cease  firing 
while  he  hailed  the  vessel  to  find  out  whether  she  had 
lowered  her  colors.  The  only  answer  was  a  murderous 
volley  of  grape-shot  from  another  quarter.  The  flag 
staff  of  the  fort  then  happened  to  be  struck,  and  the 
Indians  and  British  on  shore,  thinking  that  the  plucky 
little  garrison  had  surrendered,  ran  forward  with  ter 
rible  cries.  They  were  met  by  a  terrific  hail  of  lead 
which  drove  them  back  for  good. 

Finally  the  battered  English  vessels  drew  off.  The 
Hermes  was  found  to  be  in  such  bad  shape  that  she  was 
set  on  fire  by  her  crew  and  abandoned.  Her  destruc 
tion  was  completed  by  the  explosion  of  her  magazine. 
The  British  loss  was  232,  of  which  number  163  were 
killed.  The  American  loss  was  4  killed  and  4  wounded. 
The  British  in  this  engagement  outnumbered  the 
Americans  more  than  six  times. 

259 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


The  great  adventure  of  Fort  Morgan's  life,  how 
ever,  was  in  the  Civil  War  at  the  time  of  the  taking  of 
Mobile.  The  stronghold  had  been  considerably  en 
larged  and  strengthened  and  had  been  re-christened  by 
its  Confederate  possessors  at  the  outbreak  of  that  dis 
astrous  struggle  between  brother  and  brother.  It  is 
described  in  official  records  of  the  time  as  a  pentagonal 
bastioned  work,  with  a  full  scarp  brick  wall,  4  feet  8 
inches  thick,  its  armament  consisting  of  86  guns  of 
various  calibres.  The  garrison,  including  officers  and 
men,  numbered  640. 

The  force  under  Farragut  consisted  of  fourteen 
large  wooden  steam  vessels  of  war  and  four  iron-clads 
of  which  the  Tecumseh  arrived  from  Pensacola  just  in 
time  for  the  engagement.  The  wooden  vessels  were 
lashed  together  in  pairs  and  the  whole  column  was 
headed  by  the  iron-clads. 

It  was  on  the  morning  of  August  5,  1864,  that 
Farragut  commenced  his  passage  into  Mobile  Bay. 
Long  before  the  break  of  day  through  the  whole  fleet 
could  be  heard  the  boatswain's  whistles  and  the  cheery 
cries  of  "  all  hands  "  and  "  up  all  hammocks.''  The  wind 
was  west-southwest,  just  where  Farragut  wanted  it,  as 
it  would  blow  the  smoke  of  the  guns  on  Fort  Morgan. 
At  four  o'clock  the  fleet  set  in  motion,  led  by  the  four 
monitors.  At  6.47  the  booming  of  the  TecumseJis  guns 
was  heard  and  shortly  afterward  Morgan  replied.  The 
story  may  now  be  taken  up  in  the  words  of  an  officer 
on  board  the  flag-ship  Hartford: 

260 


FORT  MORGAN 


The  order  was  to  "  go  slowly,  go  slowly  "  and  receive  the  fire 
of  Fort  Morgan.  At  six  minutes  past  seven  the  fort  opened, 
having  allowed  us  to  get  into  such  short  range  that  we  appre 
hended  some  snare;  in  fact,  I  heard  the  order  passed  for  our 
guns  to  be  elevated  for  fourteen  hundred  yards  some  time  before 
one  was  fired.  The  calmness  of  the  scene  was  sublime.  No  im 
patience,  no  irritation,  no  anxiety,  except  for  the  fort  to  open ; 
and  after  it  did  open  full  five  minutes  elapsed  before  we  an 
swered.  In  the  meantime  the  guns  were  trained  as  if  at  a  target 
and  all  the  sounds  I  could  hear  were  "  steady  boys,  steady !  Left 
tackle  a  little !  So,  so !"  Then  the  roar  of  a  broadside  and  the 
eager  cheer  as  the  enemy  were  driven  from  their  water  battery. 
Don't  imagine  they  were  frightened ;  no  man  could  stand  under 
that  iron  shower;  and  the  brave  fellows  returned  to  their  guns 
as  soon  as  it  lulled,  only  to  be  driven  off  again. 

At  twenty  minutes  past  seven  we  had  come  within  range  of 
the  enemy's  gunboats  which  opened  their  fire  upon  the  Hartford, 
and  as  the  Admiral  afterward  told  me  made  her  their  special  tar 
get.  First  they  struck  our  foremast  and  then  lodged  a  shot  of 
120  pounds  in  our  mainmast.  By  degrees  they  got  better  eleva 
tion  ;  and  I  have  saved  a  splinter  from  the  hammock  netting  to 
show  how  they  felt  their  way  lower.  Splinters  after  that  came 
by  cords,  and  in  size  sometimes  were  like  logs  of  wood.  No 
longer  came  the  cheering  cry  "  Nobody  hurt  yet/'  The  Hart- 
ford  by  some  unavoidable  chance  fought  the  enemy's  fleet  and 
fort  together  for  twenty  minutes  by  herself,  timbers  crashing 
and  wounded  pouring  down, — cries  never  to  be  forgotten. 

By  half  past  seven  the  iron-clad  Tecumseh  was  well 
up  with  the  fort  and  drawing  slowly  by,  when  suddenly 
she  reeled  to  port  and  went  down  straightway  with 
almost  every  soul  on  board.  She  had  struck  a  mine. 

261 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


For  a  time  this  appalling  disaster  spread  confusion  in 
the  fleet. 

"What's  the  matter?"  was  shouted  from  the  flag 
ship  to  the  Brooklyn  just  ahead. 

'  Torpedoes,"  was  the  response. 

"  Damn  the  torpedoes,"  said  Farragut,  "  go  ahead." 

Go  ahead  the  fleet  did  and  at  length  had  passed  Fort 
Morgan  and  was  in  the  sheltering  waters  of  the  bay. 
The  cost  of  this  operation  in  the  Union  fleet  was  335 
men.  Of  the  130  men  in  the  Tecumseh  when  she  was 
struck  only  17  were  saved. 

Fort  Gaines,  the  works  on  the  western  side  of  the 
channel,  now  surrendered.  But  Fort  Morgan  kept  on 
fighting.  The  Union  vessels  were  in  Mobile  Bay,  but 
they  had  not  yet  forced  the  indomitable  fort  on  Mobile 
Point  to  its  knees.  Admiral  Farragut  wrote  to  a  friend : 

We  are  now  tightening  the  cords  around  Fort  Morgan. 
Page  is  as  surly  as  a  bull-dog  and  says  that  he  will  die  in  his 
ditch 

How  little  people  know  the  risks  of  life.  Drayton  made  his 
clerk  stay  below  because  he  was  a  young  married  man.  All  my 
staff, — Watson,  McKinley  and  Brownell, — were  in  an  exposed 
position  on  the  poop  deck  but  escaped  unhurt  while  poor  Hegin- 
botham  was  killed. 

For  seventeen  days  Fort  Morgan  held  out,  though 
bombarded  continuously.  Then  at  length  she  surren 
dered,  her  citadel  destroyed  and  her  walls  nearly  blown 
to  pieces.  It  is  this  pathetic  shell  that  now  greets  the 
visitor's  eye  on  Mobile  Point. 


FORTS  JACKSON  AND  ST.  PHILIP 

AT  THE  MOUTH  OF  THE  MISSISSIPPI— LOUISIANA 


HE  two  forts  which  were  the 
scene  of  Farragut's  first  brilliant 
exploit  in  running  by  the  enemy's 
works  with  wooden  vessels  have 
not  been  regularly  garrisoned 
since  1871  and  have  been  main 
tained  only  in  a  casual  sort  of  a 
fashion.  Stronger  and  newer  defences  have  taken  their 
place,  though  these  two  spots  have  had  a  long  and  honor 
able  existence  in  the  defence  of  the  mouth  of  America's 
greatest  river  and  of  its  picturesque  French- Spanish- 
American  chief  city,  New  Orleans.  Situated  32  nautical 
miles  by  river  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  and  about  22 
miles  from  the  light-house  at  the  head  of  the  passes  of 
the  Mississippi,  they  occupy  the  first  habitable  ground 
bordering  the  river,  at  a  sharp  bend  known  as  English 
Turn.  Fort  St.  Philip  is  on  the  northern  bank  of  the 
river,  Fort  Jackson  on  the  southern.  Though  so  far 
from  the  Gulf  by  river,  Fort  St.  Philip,  owing  to  the 
peculiar  formation  of  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  with 
long  fingers  spread  out  into  the  sea,  is  only  a  short 
distance  from  the  Gulf  as  the  crow  flies. 

About  a  mile  above  the  site  of  Fort  Jackson  there 
stood  an  ancient  French  fortification  known  as  Fort 
Bourbon,  which  gradually  yielded  to  the  encroachments 
of  time  so  that  now  there  is  of  it  nothing  left.  Fort 

263 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


St.  Philip,  itself,  was  founded  by  the  French  and  was 
surrendered  to  the  United  States  in  1803  with  the  pur 
chase  of  the  Louisiana  territory. 

The  situation  of  the  two  forts  was  early  recognized 
by  the  United  States  as  possessing  much  military  value, 
and  in  1812-1815  St.  Philip  was  made  over  by  the 
United  States  authorities  and  Fort  Jackson  was  built. 
Fort  St.  Philip  at  the  time  of  the  Civil  War  consisted 
of  a  quadrangular  earthwork  with  brick  scarp  rising  19 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  river  and  a  wet  ditch  with 
exterior  batteries  above  and  below.  Fort  Jackson, 
largely  added  to  between  1824  and  1832,  was  a  penta 
gonal  bastioned  fortification  built  of  brick  with  case 
mates,  glacis  and  wet  ditch;  and  of  the  two  was  the  more 
formidable  work. 

The  two  forts  saw  service  in  1814  against  the  British. 
At  this  time  the  name  Jackson  was  applied  to  the  south 
ern  fort  in  honor  of  the  fiery  American  commander 
whose  defence  of  that  city  has  become  an  inspiring 
legend. 

The  Confederate  Government  had  early  taken  pos 
session  of  the  forts  and  had  put  them  in  complete  order. 
When  Farragut's  fleet  appeared,  early  in  the  spring  of 
1862,  Fort  Jackson  with  its  water  battery  mounted  75 
guns  and  Fort  St.  Philip  about  40.  The  works  were 
garrisoned  by  about  1500  men,  commanded  by  Briga 
dier  General  J.  K.  Duncan;  St.  Philip  being  under  the 
direct  command  of  Lieutenant- Colonel  Edward  Hig- 

264 


FORT  JACKSON 


gins.  Just  above  the  forts  the  Confederates  had  placed 
a  fleet  of  15  vessels,  including  the  iron-clad  ram  Man- 
assas.  Below  Fort  Jackson  they  had  obstructed  the 
river  with  a  heavy  chain  brought  from  Pensacola.  This 
chain  was  pinned  to  the  under  side  of  a  row  of  cypress 
logs  which  were  30  feet  long  and  four  or  five  feet  in 
diameter.  The  spring  freshets  caused  this  chain  to 
break  and  it  was  replaced  by  two  lighter  chains  sup 
ported  in  similar  fashion. 

As  a  first  move  against  the  Confederate  strong 
holds,  Farragut  sent  Commander  Porter  with  his  fleet 
of  mortar  vessels  to  bombard  the  forts.  The  bombard 
ment  opened  on  the  18th  of  April  and  continued  with 
out  remission  for  six  days,  but  though  breaches  were 
made  in  the  walls  and  the  levee  was  broken  at  one  place 
so  that  the  beleaguered  men  had  a  difficult  task  to  keep 
the  waters  of  the  Mississippi  from  drowning  them  out, 
the  action  was  inconclusive. 

It  was  then  that  Farragut  determined  upon  the  bold 
move  (later  duplicated  at  Mobile)  which  was  so  great 
an  element  of  his  fame.  At  two  o'clock  on  the  morning  of 
April  24,  1862,  he  set  his  fleet  in  motion  up  the  river. 
The  chain  barriers  were  cut  and  the  fleet  contrived  to 
get  past  the  fort  without  serious  damage  or  loss  of  life. 
Thus  was  accomplished  the  feat  of  passing,  with  wooden 
vessels  in  a  stream  half  a  mile  wide,  two  forts  specially 
prepared  to  resist  such  an  effort.  The  Confederate 

265 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


fleet  was  met  beyond  the  forts  and  repulsed  after  a  sharp 
engagement. 

Farragut  now  passed  on  to  New  Orleans  to  make 
sure  of  the  rich  prize  of  a  city  whose  export  business 
at  that  time  was  the  greatest  in  the  world,  while  Porter 
was  left  behind  with  a  sufficient  squadron  to  continue 
the  bombardment  of  the  forts.  After  being  under  con 
tinuous  fire  until  the  28th  of  the  month  the  forts  sur 
rendered,  and  have  never  since  been  in  active  service. 

The  reservation  of  Fort  Jackson  contains  557.6 
acres  and  that  of  Fort  St.  Philip  1108.85  acres.  The 
reservations  consist  entirely  of  swamp  lands,  during 
season  of  high  water  being  almost  completely  inundated. 
Those  portions  containing  the  forts,  quarters  and  other 
buildings  are  leveed  on  all  sides,  but  notwithstanding 
the  protection  thus  afforded  there  are  times  when  the 
water  rises  so  high  as  to  become  a  source  of  great  incon 
venience  in  going  about.  This  is  especially  the  case 
when  rain  is  added  to  the  water  which  percolates  through 
the  levees. 

Any  account  of  Fort  Jackson  would  be  incomplete 
without  allusion  to  its  alligators.  These  reptiles  consti 
tute  one  of  the  principal  objects  of  interest  to  visitors 
and  may  be  seen  in  numbers  floating  in  the  moats  or 
basking  on  shore  in  the  sunlight.  They  are  from  five  to 
fifteen  feet  in  length  and  possess  great  strength.  It  was 
customary  to  feed  them  with  bread  and  crackers  from 
the  bridges  over  the  moats,  calling  them  up  by  whistling, 

266 


FORT  ST.  PHILIP 


and  from  frequent  occurrence  of  this  act  they  seemed  to 
become  accustomed  to  the  signal  and  responded  to  it 
just  as  might  dogs. 

The  rattlesnakes  of  the  vicinity  are  numerous  and 
formidable.  One  was  caught  here  measuring  II y2  feet 
and  having  27  rattles.  Black  snakes  are  large  but  rare. 
Moccasins,  of  which  there  are  two  varieties,  attain  a 
large  size  and  are  frequently  very  venomous. 

The  mosquitoes  constitute  a  serious  obstacle  to  the 
enjoyment  of  life  to  the  infrequent  garrisons  at  this 
post,  for  they  not  only  ply  their  calling  with  great  dili 
gence  during  the  night  but  in  summer  are  equally  zeal 
ous  throughout  the  day.  Various  expedients  are 
adopted  to  avoid  and  drive  them  away.  The  smudge  is 
brought  into  frequent  and  useful  requisition.  Gloves 
are  worn  and  covering  of  mosquito  netting  is  frequently 
used  to  protect  the  neck  and  head. 


FORT  SNELLING 

NEAR  ST.  PAUL-MINNESOTA 


HE  historic  post  of  Fort  Snelling, 
Minnesota,  for  more  than  a  gen 
eration  after  its  establishment,  in 
1819,  the  most  remote  western 
outpost  of  the  United  States,  is 
situated  at  the  confluence  of 
the  Minnesota  and  Mississippi 
Rivers,  eight  miles  southeast  of  Minneapolis  by  river 
and  six  miles  from  St.  Paul.  It  lies  in  a  region  of  rare 
natural  beauty,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Falls  of  Minnehaha, 
Bridal  Veil  Falls,  and  other  points  locally  notable  and 
is,  itself,  no  mean  attraction  to  the  many  visitors  who 
are  attracted  to  the  locality  every  year.  The  old  fort 
standing  on  its  high  bluff  at  the  headwaters  of  America's 
greatest  river  is  a  most  picturesque  object. 

The  reservation  of  Fort  Snelling  contains  1,531 
acres,  though  originally  this  tract  was  much  larger  than 
now.  The  fort  structure  which  one  sees  from  the  river 
is  an  irregularly  shaped  bastioned  wall  conforming  in 
outline  to  the  high  plateau  of  land  upon  which  it  is  situ 
ated.  It  occupies  the  extreme  end  of  the  point  of  land 
formed  by  the  juncture  of  the  two  rivers,  and  on  the 
Mississippi  side  the  bluff  upon  which  the  fort  is  situated 
descends  abruptly  to  the  water,  the  river  there  running 
almost  in  a  canyon.  On  the  Minnesota  side  the  slope  is 
more  gradual  and  ends  in  a  low  marshy  flat  which  ex- 

268 


FORT  SNELLING 


tends  from  one-third  to  one-half  a  mile  and  is  frequently 
submerged  during  high  water.  The  altitude  of  the  post 
plateau  above  the  river  is  300  feet. 

The  establishment  of  Fort  Snelling  was  one  of  the 
fruits  of  the  work  of  Lieutenant  Z.  M.  Pike,  the  first 
American  to  explore  and  chart  the  peak  which  bears  his 
name.  In  1805  this  officer  was  in  command  of  an  explor 
ing  expedition  and  held  a  conference  with  the  Sioux 
Indians  on  an  island  at  the  mouth  of  the  Minnesota 
River  which  now  bears  his  name.  He  secured  from  the 
Indians  for  military  purposes  a  strip  of  land  nine  miles 
on  each  side  of  the  Mississippi  River  and  extending  from 
the  conference  island  to  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  near 
which  Fort  Snelling  is. 

It  is  to  be  remembered  that  in  1805  the  settlement 
of  the  American  nation  did  not  extend  beyond  the 
Mississippi  River.  The  country  west  of  Lake  Michigan 
and  on  the  headwaters  of  the  Mississippi  River,  though 
a  part  of  the  United  States,  thanks  largely  to  George 
Rogers  Clark,  was  in  a  state  of  nature  with  only  the  trails 
of  Indians  and  traders  and  the  remains  of  little  French 
settlements  as  the  foundation  for  the  civilization  which 
was  to  grow  up  within  it. 

The  privileges  which  Lieutenant  Pike  secured  from 
the  red  men  were  not  immediately  taken  advantage  of 
by  the  United  States  authorities.  Time  passed  and  the 
War  of  1812  with  England  gave  the  War  Department 

269 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


of  this  country  quite  as  much  as  it  could  take  care  of. 
Finally,  in  1819,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Henry  Leaven- 
worth,  of  the  Fifth  United  States  Infantry,  was  sent 
with  his  regiment  to  locate  a  fort  upon  the  reserve  se 
lected  by  Lieutenant  Pike.  Colonel  Leavenworth 
reached  the  headwaters  of  the  Mississippi  without  in 
cident  and  rendered  his  first  monthly  report  in  Septem 
ber,  1819. 

Scurvy  broke  out  now  among  the  troops  and  this, 
added  to  the  natural  inclemencies  of  the  climate  here 
in  winter,  prevented  any  work  being  done  until  the 
spring  of  1820.  In  May,  1820,  Colonel  Leavenworth 
moved  his  troops  to  a  point  on  the  west  bank  of  the 
Mississippi  River,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  above  the 
present  location  of  Fort  Snelling.  The  site  chosen  by 
him  for  the  fort  was  the  present  military  cemetery.  He 
made  preparations  to  commence  the  work,  but  Colonel 
Josiah  Snelling  assumed  command  in  August  and  se 
lected  the  location  where  the  fort  now  stands. 

Work  actually  commenced  September  10,  1820,  and 
went  steadily  ahead  until  October,  1822,  when  the  post 
was  first  occupied.  During  this  time  Colonel  Snelling 
was  in  command  and  his  regiment  was  engaged  in  the 
work. 

For  two  years  after  it  had  been  finished  the  post 
was  known  as  Fort  St.  Anthony — at  Colonel  Snelling' s 
suggestion — after  the  falls  which  are  near  the  place, 

270 


FORT  SNELLING 


but,  in  1824,  it  was  visited  by  General  Scott,  who  sug 
gested  to  the  War  Department  that  the  name  should  be 
changed  to  that  which  it  bears  to-day  as  a  compliment 
to  its  builder. 

The  defences  and  some  of  the  store-houses  and  shops 
were  built  of  stone,  but  the  quarters  for  the  soldiers 
were  log  huts  until  after  the  Mexican  War.  The  huts 
have  now  given  way  to  comfortable  barracks  of  modern 
construction,  but  the  stone  construction  and  the  shops 
remain  to-day  as  they  were  when  the  fort  was  far  dis 
tant  from  civilization. 

During  the  Civil  War  the  fort  was  a  concentration 
point  for  volunteers.  In  1878  a  plan  of  enlargement  to 
accommodate  a  full  regiment  was  entered  upon  in  ac 
cordance  with  the  policy  then  inaugurated  by  the  War 
Department  of  having  the  soldiers  of  the  country  con 
centrated  at  a  few  points  rather  than  scattered  through 
a  number  of  small  posts. 

While  Fort  Snelling  has  never  seen  active  service 
itself  it  has  had  an  active  existence  as  a  distribution 
point  for  those  posts  which  were  in  conflict  with  the 
enemy  during  the  United  States'  occasional  Indian 
Wars.  During  the  serious  Sioux  outbreak  of  1862  in 
Minnesota  it  was  the  head-quarters  of  the  campaign 
against  the  Indians,  though  the  fighting  took  place  from 
subsidiary  posts  in  contact  with  the  red  men. 

For  twenty  years  after  its  completion  Fort  Snelling 

271 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


was  in  the  midst  of  the  Sioux  with  no  white  neighbors 
except  traders,  agents  of  fur  companies,  refugees  from 
civilization  and  disreputable  hangers-on.  In  1837  an 
enlargement  of  the  military  reserve  and  the  coming  of 
the  first  tide  of  white  settlers  who  were  to  develop  this 
country  caused  the  eviction  of  this  last  class  of  depen 
dents.  One  of  the  nearby  squatters  took  his  grog-shop 
to  a  point  not  far  away.  Around  this  point  a  settlement 
grew  up.  This  settlement  is  now  the  proud  city  of  St. 
Paul. 


FORT  LARAMIE 

AT  THE  FORKS  OF  THE  PLATTE  RIVER— WYOMING 


NE  of  the  most  famous  of  the  western 
Indian  forts  of  the  United  States 
is  situated  on  the  west  bank  of  the 
Laramie  River,  one  and  a  half 
miles  above  the  junction  of  that 
stream  with  the  Platte.  Though 
deserted  the  post  is  still  a  pictu 
resque  figure,  recalling  the  days  when  it  administered 
authority  for  seven  hundred  miles  around.  The  prop 
erty  now  comprises  part  of  the  ranch  of  Mr.  John 
Hunton. 

Before  the  white  man  had  established  a  habitation 
where  Fort  Laramie  stands  the  whole  of  the  country  of 
the  North  Platte  River  was  a  hunting-ground  and 
battle-field  for  different  tribes  of  Indians.  Countless 
herds  of  buffalo  roamed  the  land  and  it  was  rich  in  fur- 
bearing  animals,  as  well. 

In  1834  William  Sublette  and  Robert  Campbell, 
coming  to  this  part  of  the  country  to  trap  beaver,  found 
themselves  obliged  to  construct  some  sort  of  protection 
against  the  roving  bands  of  vagabond  Crows  and  Paw 
nees  which  occasionally  swept  along  the  Platte,  stealing 
where  they  could.  They  built  in  that  year  upon  the 
present  site  of  Fort  Laramie  a  square  fort  of  pickets 
18  feet  high,  with  bastions  at  two  diagonal  corners,  and 
a  number  of  little  houses  inside  for  their  employes.  In 

18  273 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


1835  they  sold  out  to  Milton  Sublette,  James  Bridger 
and  three  other  trappers,  who  went  into  partnership  with 
the  American  Fur  Company  and  continued  the  beaver 
trapping  business. 

In  that  year  the  American  Fur  Company  sent  two 
men  named  Kiplin  and  Sabille  to  the  Bear  Butte  and 
Northern  Black  Hills  to  persuade  the  Sioux  Indians 
to  come  over  and  hunt  their  game  and  live  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  fort.  Their  ambassadors  succeeded  so  well  that 
they  returned  with  over  one  hundred  lodges  of  Ogalla 
Sioux  under  Chief  Bull  Bear.  This  was  the  first  ap 
pearance  of  the  powerful  Sioux  nation  in  this  part  of 
the  country,  which  they  speedily  overran,  driving  away 
Pawnees,  Cheyennes,  Crows  and  all  others  from  its 
very  borders. 

Of  course  the  fort  speedily  became  a  trading  post 
where  the  Indians  bartered  a  buffalo  robe  for  a  knife, 
an  awl,  or  a  drink  of  "  fire  water."  Anything  that  the 
company  had  to  trade  was  at  least  of  the  value  of  one 
buffalo  robe.  An  American  horse  brought  fifty  of 
them;  any  pony  was  worth  twenty  or  thirty.  Any  old 
scrap  of  iron  was  of  great  value  to  an  Indian  and  by 
him  would  be  speedily  converted  into  a  knife.  Fire 
arms  he  had  none  and  his  arrow-heads  were  all  made  of 
pieces  of  flint  or  massive  quartz,  fashioned  into  proper 
shape  by  laborious  pecking  with  another  stone.  The 
Sioux  then  had  no  horses,  but  herds  of  wild  horses  were 
abundant  on  their  arrival  and  it  was  not  many  years 
before  they  learned  their  use. 

274 


FORT  LARAMIE 


In  1836  the  picket  fort  began  to  rot  badly  and  the 
American  Fur  Company  rebuilt  it  of  adobe  at  an  ex 
pense  of  $10,000.  The  people  who  lived  inside  of  the 
fort  at  this  time  called  it  "  Fort  William,"  after  William 
Sublette,  but  the  name  could  not  be  popularized.  The 
fort  being  built  on  the  Laramie  River,  not  far  from 
Laramie  Peak,  the  American  Fur  Company's  clerks 
in  their  city  offices  labelled  it  Fort  Laramie  and  by  that 
name  it  was  destined  to  be  called. 

It  seems  that  Laramie  was  a  trapper,  one  of  the  first 
French  voyageurs  who  ever  trapped  a  beaver  or  shot  a 
buffalo  in  the  Rocky  Mountains.  He  was  one  day 
killed  by  a  band  of  Arapahoes  on  the  headwaters  of  the 
stream  which  has  ever  since  been  called  by  his  name. 

The  American  Fur  Company  retained  possession  of 
the  fort  until  1849  when  it  sold  it  to  the  United  States 
government  for  four  or  five  thousand  dollars.  Bruce 
Husaband  was  the  last  representative  of  the  company 
who  had  charge  of  Fort  Laramie. 

The  first  United  States  troops  which  arrived  here 
came  in  July,  1849,  under  the  command  of  Major 
Sanderson  of  the  Mounted  Rifles.  They  were  com 
panies  C  and  D  of  that  regiment.  Company  G  of  the 
Sixth  United  States  Infantry  arrived  in  August  of  the 
same  year  under  command  of  Captain  Ketchum.  In 
the  summer  and  fall  of  1849  a  large  number  of  additions 
were  made  to  the  buildings  at  the  post. 

In  1846,  just  prior  to  its  occupancy  by  the  United 

275 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


States,  Francis  Parkman,  the  future  historian,  then 
little  more  than  a  boy,  visited  Fort  Laramie  and  wrote 
a  description  of  the  place  in  that  singularly  vivid  style 
which  characterized  his  best  work  as  a  historian.  His 
description  may  be  abridged: 

Looking  back,  after  the  expiration  of  a  year,  upon  Fort 
Laramie  and  its  inmates,  they  seem  less  like  a  reality  than  like 
some  fanciful  picture  of  the  olden  time;  so  different  was  the 
scene  from  any  which  this  tamer  side  of  the  world  can  present. 
Tall  Indians,  enveloped  in  their  white  buffalo  robes,  were  strid 
ing  across  the  area  or  reclining  at  full  length  on  the  low  roofs 
of  the  buildings  which  enclosed  it.  Numerous  squaws,  gayly 
bedizened,  sat  grouped  in  front  of  the  rooms  they  occupied ;  their 
mongrel  offspring,  restless  and  vociferous,  rambled  in  every 
direction  through  the  fort;  and  the  trappers,  traders,  and  en- 
gagees  of  the  establishment  were  busy  at  their  labor  or  their 
amusements.  .  .  . 

Fort  Laramie  is  one  of  the  posts  established  by  the  "  Ameri 
can  Fur  Company  "  which  well  nigh  monopolizes  the  Indian 
trade  of  this  region.  Here  its  officials  rule  with  an  absolute 
sway;  the  arm  of  the  United  States  has  little  force;  for  when 
we  were  there  the  extreme  outposts  of  her  troops  were  about 
seven  hundred  miles  to  the  eastward.  The  little  fort  is  built  of 
bricks  dried  in  the  sun,  and  externally  is  of  an  oblong  form,  with 
bastions  of  clay,  in  the  form  of  ordinary  blockhouses,  at  two  of 
the  corners.  The  walls  are  about  fifteen  feet  high,  and  sur 
mounted  by  a  slender  palisade.  The  roofs  of  the  apartments 
within,  which  are  built  close  against  the  walls,  serve  the  purpose 
of  a  banquette.  Within,  the  fort  is  divided  by  a  partition:  on 

276 


FORT  LARAMIE 


one  side  is  the  square  area,  surrounded  by  the  offices,  store 
rooms  and  apartments  of  the  inmates ;  on  the  other  is  the  corral, 
a  narrow  place,  encompassed  by  high  clay  walls,  where  at  night, 
or  in  presence  of  dangerous  Indians,  the  horses  and  mules  of  the 
fort  are  crowded  for  safe  keeping.  The  main  entrance  has  two 
gates,  with  an  arched  passage  intervening.  A  little  square  win 
dow,  high  above  the  ground,  opens  laterally  from  an  adjoining 
chamber  into  this  passage ;  so  that  when  the  inner  gate  is  closed 
and  barred,  a  person  without  may  still  hold  communication  with 
those  within,  through  this  narrow  aperture.  This  obviates  the 
necessity  of  admitting  suspicious  Indians,  for  the  purposes  of 
trading,  into  the  body  of  the  fort;  for  when  danger  is  appre 
hended,  the  inner  gate  is  shut  fast  and  all  traffic  is  carried  on  by 
means  of  the  window.  This  precaution,  though  necessary  at 
some  of  the  Company's  posts,  is  seldom  resorted  to  at  Fort 
Laramie ;  where  though  men  are  frequently  killed  in  the  neighbor 
hood  no  apprehensions  are  felt  of  any  general  design  of  hostility 
from  the  Indians. 

A  train  of  emigrants  encamped  outside  the  fort  for 
the  night  on  their  long  journey  across  the  plains. 

A  crowd  of  broad-rimmed  hats,  thin  visages,  and  staring 
eyes  appeared  suddenly  at  the  gate.  Tall,  awkward  men  in 
brown  homespun ;  women,  with  cadaverous  faces  and  long  lank 
figures,  came  thronging  in  together,  and  as  if  inspired  by  the 
very  demon  of  curiosity  ransacked  every  nook  and  corner  of  the 
fort.  The  emigrants  prosecuted  their  investigations  with  untir 
ing  vigor.  They  penetrated  the  rooms,  or,  rather,  dens,  in 
habited  by  the  astonished  squaws.  Resolved  to  search  every 
mystery  to  the  bottom,  they  explored  the  apartments  of  the 

277 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


men,  and  even  that  of  Marie  and  the  bourgeois  (the  commandant 
of  the  fort).  At  last  a  numerous  deputation  appeared  at  our 
door  but  found  no  encouragement  to  remain.  .  .  .  Having  at 
length  satisfied  their  curiosity,  they  next  proceeded  to  business. 

On  the  19th  of  August,  1854,  a  Mormon  train  was 
encamped  about  ten  miles  below  the  fort  on  the  Platte 
River.  The  Indians  having  killed  a  cow  or  ox  belong 
ing  to  the  train  had  been  complained  of  by  the  Mormons 
to  the  commanding  officer,  who  sent  Lieutenant  Grattan, 
of  the  Sixth  United  States  Infantry,  with  thirty  men  of 
Company  G  and  two  howitzers,  to  recover  the  cow  and 
bring  the  thieves  to  the  garrison.  They  met  a  large 
number  of  Indians  (Sioux)  under  the  leadership  of  a 
chief  named  Mattoioway  about  eight  miles  from  the  fort 
and  a  conflict  ensued  in  which  Lieutenant  Grattan' s  com 
mand,  with  the  exception  of  one  man,  was  annihilated. 
The  survivor  was  hidden  in  some  bushes  by  a  friendly 
Indian  and  brought  to  the  fort  that  night  where  he  died 
two  days  afterward.  The  bodies  of  the  slain  were  buried 
in  one  grave  where  they  fell  and  a  pile  of  stones  marks 
their  resting  place. 


THE  ALAMO  AND  FORT  SAM 
HOUSTON 

SAN  ANTONIO— TEXAS 


HE  Alamo,  which  is  famous  for  its 
heroic  defence  against  the  Mexi 
cans  by  Travis  and  his  men,  is 
situated  in  San  Antonio,  Texas, 
and  is  the  point  of  pilgrimage 
annually  for  many  hundreds  of 
the  visitors  to  the  southwestern 
part  of  the  United  States.  On  the  outskirts  of  San 
Antonio  is  the  modern  great  military  plant,  Fort  Sam 
Houston,  the  Alamo's  lusty  successor. 

The  Alamo,  as  late  as  1870,  was  used  for  military 
purposes  by  the  United  States  government,  but  of  re 
cent  years  it  has  been  preserved  purely  as  a  monument 
to  those  brave  men  who  lost  their  lives  in  it  fighting 
bravely  to  the  last  a  battle  which  they  knew  to  be  hope 
less  from  the  first.  'Upon  the  front  of  the  building  has 
been  placed  an  inscription  which  reads,  "  Thermopylae 
had  its  messenger  of  defeat.  The  Alamo  had  none." 
The  building,  itself,  is  a  low  structure  of  the  familiar 
Spanish  mission  type,  and  its  main  walls,  though  con 
structed  in  1744,  are  almost  as  solid  to-day  as  when  new. 
The  chapel  of  the  Alamo  bears  the  date  1757,  but  this 
was  of  later  building  than  the  rest  of  the  place. 

The  city  of  San  Antonio  owes  its  foundation  to  the 
establishment  in  1715  by  Spain  of  the  mission  of  San 
Antonio  de  Valero,  which  in  accordance  with  the  custom 

279 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


of  that  country  combined  priestly  enterprise  with  mili 
tary  prerogative.  The  Alamo  was  a  quadrangular, 
central  court  structure  built  to  house  the  troops  of  Spain 
and  to  sound  the  call  to  worship.  It  was  acquired  by 
Mexico  with  the  rest  of  the  Spanish  possessions  when 
this  southern  neighbor  of  the  United  States,  in  1824, 
finally  secured  its  independence  from  the  parent  country. 

At  the  time  of  the  siege,  San  Antonio  was  a  town  of 
about  7,000  inhabitants,  the  vast  majority  Mexican. 
The  San  Antonio  river  which,  properly  speaking,  is  a 
large  rivulet,  divided  the  town  from  the  Alamo,  the 
former  on  the  west  side  and  the  latter  on  the  east. 
South  of  the  fort  was  the  Alamo  village,  a  small  suburb 
of  San  Antonio. 

The  fort  itself  was  in  the  condition  in  which  it  had 
been  left  by  Cos,  the  Mexican  general,  when  it  had  been 
surrendered  in  the  fall  of  1835.  It  contained  twelve 
guns  which  were  of  little  use  in  the  hands  of  men  un 
skilled  in  their  use,  and  owing  to  the  construction  of  the 
works  most  of  the  guns  had  little  width  of  range. 

In  command  of  the  place  at  the  beginning  of  the 
winter  of  1835  was  Colonel  Neill,  of  Texas,  with  two 
companies  of  volunteers,  among  whom  was  a  remnant 
of  the  New  Orleans  Greys.  Early  in  1836  Lieutenant 
Colonel  William  B.  Travis,  a  brave  and  careful  officer, 
was  appointed  by  the  Governor  of  Texas,  which  had  as 
yet  only  a  provisional  government,  to  relieve  Colonel 
Neill  of  his  command. 

280 


r  s 

>*•  ? 

o  C 

=T  K 


THE  ALAMO 


The  volunteers,  a  hard-headed  and  independent  lot, 
wished  to  choose  their  own  leader  though  they  were  will 
ing  to  have  Travis  second  in  command,  and  called  a 
meeting,  where  they  elected  as  full  colonel  one  of  their 
number,  James  Bowie,  a  forceful  figure  of  early  Texan 
history.  Bowie's  name  to-day  unfortunately  is  chiefly 
remembered  by  virtue  of  the  "  Bowie  "  knife.  Travis 
arrived  at  the  fort  early  in  February,  just  two  weeks 
before  the  Mexicans  under  the  detested  Santa  Ana  came 
in  view,  and  naturally  enough  refused  to  recognize  the 
superior  authority  of  the  officer  so  informally  placed  in 
power,  as  did  the  men  whom  he  had  brought  with  him. 
There  was  thus  divided  authority  in  the  Alamo  at  the 
time  of  the  siege. 

All  disputes  were  dropped,  however,  upon  the  ap 
proach  of  the  enemy.  The  advance  detachment  of  the 
Mexican  force  which  came  in  four  divisions  arrived  in 
San  Antonio  on  February  22,  and  was  welcomed  by  an 
eighteen-pound  shot  from  the  little  American  garrison. 
Santa  Ana  procured  a  parley  and  demanded  the  sur 
render  of  the  entire  garrison,  the  terms  to  be  left  to  his 
discretion. 

A  dramatic  scene  took  place  in  the  Alamo,  tradition 
tells  us,  when  news  of  this  proposal  came  to  the  ill- 
starred  place.  Colonel  Travis  drew  a  line  upon  the 
ground.  "  All  those  who  prefer  to  fight  will  cross  this 
line,"  he  is  reported  to  have  said.  Every  man  crossed 
the  line  and  Bowie,  who  had  been  stricken  to  his  bed 

281 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


with  pneumonia,  roused  enough  to  ask  that  his  cot  be 
carried  with  his  men.  It  was  well  understood  that  the 
issue  of  the  fray,  if  once  Santa  Ana  succeeded  in  taking 
the  post,  would  be  the  death  of  every  man  without 
mercy;  and  the  chances  of  withstanding  an  attack  were 
known  to  be  weak. 

When  finally  the  Mexican  host  was  assembled  it 
numbered  about  twenty-five  hundred  men.  The  Ameri 
can  garrison,  which  was  swelled  by  a  reinforcement  of 
32  men  from  Gonzales  who  managed  to  get  through  the 
lines  of  the  besiegers  into  the  fort,  numbered  altogether 
188  men.  The  siege  commenced  on  the  24th  of  Feb 
ruary  and  continued  without  cessation  until  the  morn 
ing  of  the  6th  of  March,  when  there  was  a  grand  assault. 

The  final  assault  occupied  not  more  than  half  an 
hour.  The  blast  of  a  bugle  was  followed  by  the  shuffle 
of  a  rushing  mass  of  men.  The  guns  of  the  fort  opened 
upon  the  charging  columns  which  came  from  all  direc 
tions.  The  outer  walls  were  taken  despite  the  efforts 
of  the  pitiful  handful  of  their  defenders,  and  the  battle 
then  became  a  series  of  desperate  fights  from  room  to 
room  of  the  old  structure.  Travis  fell  with  a  single  shot 
through  his  forehead  and  his  gun  was  turned  on  the 
building.  Bowie  was  found  on  his  cot  in  his  room  at  the 
point  of  death  from  the  malady  which  had  stricken  him ; 
with  his  last  flicker  of  strength  he  shot  down  with  his 
pistols  more  than  one  of  his  assailants  before  he  was 
butchered  where  he  lay,  too  weak  to  move  his  body. 

The  chapel  was  the  last  point  taken  and  the  inmates 

282 


THE  ALAMO 


of  this  stronghold  fought  with  unremitting  fury,  firing 
down  from  the  upper  part  of  the  structure  after  the 
enemy  had  taken  the  floor.  Toward  the  close  of  this 
episode  Lieutenant  Dickenson,  with  his  child  strapped 
to  his  back,  leaped  from  the  east  embrasure.  Both  were 
shot  in  the  act. 

One  of  the  garrison  was  Davy  Crockett,  a  well- 
known  and  beloved  backwoodsman,  known  for  his 
quaint  sayings  and  homely  wisdom.  Crockett  was 
found  beside  a  gun  in  the  west  battery  with  a  pile  of 
slain  around  him. 

The  number  of  Mexicans  killed  has  never  been  cor 
rectly  estimated  though  it  has  been  placed  as  high  as  a 
thousand.  The  most  accurate  estimate  lies  probably  be 
tween  500  and  600. 

A  few  hours  after  the  engagement  the  bodies  of  the 
slaughtered  garrison  were  gathered  by  the  victors,  laid 
in  three  heaps  and  burned.  On  February  25,  1837,  the 
bones  and  ashes  were  collected  by  order  of  General  Sam 
Houston,  as  well  as  could  be  done,  and  buried  with  mili 
tary  honors  in  a  peach  orchard  then  outside  Alamo  vil 
lage  and  a  few  hundred  yards  from  the  fort.  The  place 
of  burial  was  not  preserved  and  the  ground  which  con 
tains  the  remains  of  these  heroic  men  has  long  since  been 
built  over. 

During  the  Mexican  War  the  walls  of  the  Alamo 
buildings  were  repaired  and  the  buildings  newly  roofed 
for  the  use  of  the  quartermaster's  department. 

Fort  Sam  Houston,  the  modern  successor  of  the 

283 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


ancient  Alamo,  was  first  located  on  Houston  Street 
where  one  of  San  Antonio's  great  new  hotels  now  stands. 
Its  present  ideal  situation  on  a  high  plateau  762  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  was  chosen  in  1872 
and  the  grounds  first  comprised  162  acres  of  land.  The 
fort  was  built  around  a  quadrangle  624  feet  square,  in 
the  centre  of  which  was  erected  a  gray  stone  tower  88 
feet  in  height.  Of  recent  years  large  accessions  of  land 
have  made  the  post  over  one  thousand  acres  in  extent 
and  the  buildings  have  been  largely  added  to,  over  two 
and  a  half  millions  of  dollars  being  expended  upon  the 
fort  by  the  national  government.  It  is  now  one  of  the 
most  important  of  the  United  States'  military  posses 
sions.  During  the  Spanish- American  war  the  place 
acquired  celebrity  as  being  the  scene  of  organization  and 
training  of  the  Rough  Riders. 

Immediately  before  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War 
the  Alamo  was  commanded  by  that  soldier  who  was  to 
lead  the  armies  of  the  Lost  Cause  and  whose  name  is  a 
household  heritage  in  the  south  to-day,  Robert  E.  Lee. 
Associated  with  him  here  was  Albert  Sydney  Johnston. 
The  house  occupied  by  General  Lee  was  situated  on 
South  Alamo  street  and  here  he  wrote  his  resignation  to 
the  United  States  authorities  before  assuming  command 
of  the  enthusiastic  and  untrained  masses  of  South 
erners. 

During  the  Civil  War  San  Antonio  was  the  head 
quarters  of  the  Confederacy  in  the  southwest  and  the 
Alamo  was  used  for  storage. 


OTHER  WESTERN  FORTS 

FORT  PHIL  KEARNEY.  NEBRASKA;  FORT  LEAVENWORTH. 
KANSAS;  FORT  FETTERMAN,  WYOMING;  FORT  BRIDGER, 
WYOMING;  FORT  KEOGH.  MONTANA;  FORT  DOUGLAS,  UTAH 


NE  of  the  most  dreadful  Indian  fights 
in  the  history  of  the  Middle  West 
is  associated  with  Fort  Phil 
Kearney,  on  the  Platte  River, 
Nebraska,  which  was  in  1848,  at 
the  time  of  its  establishment,  the 
only  United  States  post  between 
Fort  Leavenworth,  Kansas,  350  miles  distant,  and  Fort 
Laramie,  420  miles  to  the  west.  It  stood  midway  be 
tween  the  Mississippi  River  and  the  Rocky  Mountains 
on  the  California  Overland  route  and  was  established 
for  the  protection  of  wrest-bound  emigrant  trains  from 
hostile  Indians. 

Fort  Phil  Kearney  was  a  storm  centre  during  the 
Sioux  War,  which  began  in  1863  and  continued  inter 
mittently  for  nearly  ten  years,  and  the  "  Kearney  Mas 
sacre  "  occurred  during  this  time.  On  the  morning  of 
December  21, 1866,  the  fort  received  word  that  the  wood 
train  was  being  attacked  by  Indians  and  was  in  need  of 
assistance.  Immediately  Brevet  Lieutenant  Colonel  W. 
I.  Fetterman  with  seventy-six  men  was  ordered  to  pro 
tect  the  train. 

Colonel  Fetterman  moved  rapidly  upon  his  errand, 
and  the  sound  of  heavy  firing  soon  showed  that  he  was  in 
contact  with  the  enemy.  The  firing  continued  so  long 
that  the  commandant,  Colonel  Carrington,  became 

285 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


alarmed  for  the  safety  of  the  detachment  and  sent  out 
as  many  men  as  he  could  spare  for  reinforcement. 
These  men  were  under  Captain  Ten  Eyck.  The  rest  of 
the  story  may  be  taken  up  in  the  words  of  Senate  Docu 
ment  13, 1867: 

Colonel  Ten  Eyck  reported  as  soon  as  he  reached  the 
summit  commanding  a  view  of  the  battle-field  that  the  valley 
was  full  of  Indians ;  that  he  could  see  nothing  of  Colonel  Fetter- 
man's  party,  and  requested  that  a  howitzer  should  be  sent  him. 
The  howitzer  was  not  sent. 

The  Indians  who  at  first  beckoned  him  to  come  down  now 
commenced  retreating  and  Captain  Ten  Eyck,  advancing  to  a 
point  where  the  Indians  had  been  standing  in  a  circle,  found 
the  dead,  naked  bodies  of  Brevet  Lieutenant  Colonel  Fetterman, 
Captain  Brown  and  about  sixty-five  of  the  soldiers  of  their 
command.  ...  At  about  half  the  distance  from  where  these 
bodies  lay  to  the  point  where  the  road  commences  to  descend 
to  Peno  Creek  was  the  dead  body  of  Lieutenant  Grummond,  and 
still  farther  on,  at  the  point  where  the  road  commences  to  de 
scend  to  Peno  Creek,  were  the  dead  bodies  of  three  citizens  and 
four  or  five  of  the  old,  long-tried  and  experienced  soldiers. 

Our  conclusion,  therefore,  is  that  the  Indians  were  massed 
on  both  sides  of  the  road ;  that  the  Indians  attacked  vigorously 
in  force  from  fifteen  hundred  to  eighteen  hundred  warriors  and 
were  successfully  resisted  for  half  an  hour  or  more;  that  the 
command  then  being  short  of  ammunition  and  seized  with  panic 
at  this  event,  and  the  great  numerical  superiority  of  the  Indians, 
attempted  to  retreat  toward  the  fort;  that  the  mountaineers 
and  old  soldiers  who  had  learned  that  movement  from  the 

286 


OTHER  WESTERN  FORTS 


Indians  in  an  engagement  was  equivalent  to  death  remained  in 
their  first  position  and  were  killed  there ;  that,  immediately  upon 
the  commencement  of  the  retreat,  the  Indians  charged  upon 
and  surrounded  the  party  who  could  not  now  be  formed  by 
their  officers  and  the  party  was  immediately  killed. 

Only  six  of  the  whole  command  were  killed  by  balls  and  two 
of  these,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Fetterman  and  Captain  Brown,  no 
doubt  inflicted  this  death  upon  themselves,  or  each  other,  by 
their  own  hands  for  both  were  shot  through  the  left  temple  and 
powder  was  burnt  into  the  skin  and  flesh  about  the  wound. 
These  officers  had  also  oftentimes  asserted  that  they  would  not 
be  taken  alive  by  the  Indians. 

In  its  appearance  Fort  Kearney  was  typical  of  the 
Indian  forts  of  the  period,  being  little  more  than  a 
stockade  on  the  level  prairie  with  the  necessary  houses 
inside.  The  parade  ground  occupied  four  acres  and 
was  flanked  by  a  few  straggly  cottonwood  trees.  The 
post  was  deserted  not  long  after  the  building  of  the 
Union  Pacific  railroad  six  miles  away,  which  destroyed 
the  reason  of  its  being;  after  its  desertion  fell  victim  to 
its  ancient  enemy,  for  it  was  burned  by  the  Indians. 

Fort  Leavenworth,  Leavenworth,  near  Kansas  City, 
Kansas,  whose  name  occurs  so  often  in  the  records  of 
Indian  warfare  of  the  West,  was  established  May,  1827, 
by  Colonel  Henry  Leavenworth,  commanding  a  de 
tachment  of  the  Third  United  States  Infantry.  At  first 
the  post  was  extremely  unhealthy,  a  large  part  of  the 
command  being  prostrated  by  malarial  fever.  It  was 

287 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


evacuated  in  1829  and  reoccupied  in  1830,  then,  and  for 
several  years,  being  known  as  Cantonment  Leaven- 
worth.  Since  the  latter  date  the  place  has  never  been 
without  United  States  troops  and  it  is  to-day  the  largest 
fixed  post  in  the  United  States  military  service. 

The  first  mission  of  Fort  Leavenworth  was  to  pro 
tect  the  emigrant  trains  which  set  out  from  St.  Louis, 
several  hundred  miles  to  the  east,  and  passed  this  point 
on  the  way  to  California,  or  Oregon,  by  the  famous  old 
Santa  Fe  Trail,  the  California  Overland  Trail  or  the 
Oregon  Trail,  each  of  which  went  by  this  place.  As  the 
years  went  on  the  fort  became  more  and  more  a  base  of 
supply  for  the  army  posts  established  further  west.  Its 
central  location,  which  made  it  ideal  as  a  distributing 
point  to  any  part  of  the  West,  is  the  factor  which  is  at 
the  base  of  its  importance  in  the  present  day. 

Fort  Fetterman,  Wyoming,  was  established  in  July, 
1867,  and  named  in  honor  of  the  officer  who  lost  his  life 
commanding  the  detachment  destroyed  by  the  Indians 
at  Fort  Kearney.  In  the  following  month  the  Indians 
of  the  vicinity  were  actively  hostile.  The  old  post  was  a 
most  picturesque  point  in  its  day,  being  situated  on  a 
high  bluff  which  shows  its  pointed  palisade  in  fine  relief 
against  the  sky.  It  is  now  deserted. 

Fort  Bridger,  Wyoming,  another  of  the  Indian  posts 
of  the  past,  was  one  of  the  most  important  points  on  the 
Great  Salt  Lake  Trail.  It  was  located  on  the  Black 
Fork  of  the  Green  River  and  was  established  in  June, 

288 


OTHER  WESTERN  FORTS 


1858.  The  immediate  locality  had  long  been  known  as 
Bridger 's  Fort  because  of  the  situation  here  of  a  trading 
post  of  James  Bridger,  one  of  the  most  noted  trappers 
and  guides  of  this  section.  In  its  establishment  it  was 
intended  to  be  a  base  of  supplies  for  the  army  of  General 
Albert  Sydney  Johnston  moving  against  the  Mormons 
in  Salt  Lake  Valley  in  1857  to  1858.  That  winter  the 
entire  command  encamped  in  the  valley  just  above  the 
site  of  Fort  Bridger  and  upon  its  removal  the  permanent 
post  was  located. 

Fort  Keogh,  Montana,  one  of  the  still  existing  Indian 
posts,  was  established,  in  1876,  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Yellowstone  River,  two  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the 
Tongue  River,  Custer  County,  on  a  high  elevation  above 
the  river  bottom,  by  General  Terry  during  a  campaign 
against  the  Sioux.  It  was  named  in  honor  of  Captain 
Miles  Keogh,  killed  in  the  battle  of  the  Little  Big 
Horn,  popularly  known  as  Custer's  Massacre,  June  25, 
1876.  The  area  of  the  post  reservation  is  90  square  miles. 
In  appearance  Fort  Keogh  is  typical  of  the  other  forts 
of  its  class. 

Fort  Douglas,  Utah,  is  at  the  base  of  the  plateau  of 
the  Wahsatch  Mountains  and  is  part  of  the  suburbs 
of  Salt  Lake  City.  The  reservation  contains  two  square 
miles  of  territory,  and  the  scenery  from  any  part  thereof 
is  extremely  fine.  The  post  was  established  October, 
1862,  by  Colonel  P.  E.  Connor,  of  the  Third  Regiment 
of  California  Infantry. 

19 


FORT  VANCOUVER 

COLUMBIA  RIVER— WASHINGTON 


O  delve  into  the  history  of  Fort 
Vancouver,  or  Vancouver  Bar 
racks  as  it  is  known  to-day,  is  to 
recall  that  time  when  the  far 
northwest  of  the  United  States 
was  in  the  making,  when  there 
was  no  definite  boundary  be 
tween  England,  Spain,  Russia  and  the  American  nation 
in  this  part  of  the  American  continent  and  when  all  of 
these  great  nations,  with  the  addition  of  France  and 
little  Portugal,  to  boot,  were  claimants  to  the  Columbia 
River  and  the  wildernesses  which  it  held  tributary. 

The  first  white  men  to  descry  the  mouth  of  the 
Columbia  from  the  sea  were,  no  doubt,  the  Spaniards, 
for  Heceta,  in  1775,  and  Bodega  and  Arteaga  in  the 
same  year  and,  again,  in  1779,  made  brief  excursions 
into  the  river.  In  1792  Captain  Robert  Gray,  of  Bos 
ton,  with  the  good  ship  "  Columbia,"  ascended  the  stream 
for  twenty-five  miles  and  claimed  possession  of  it  for  the 
United  States.  He  named  the  river  for  his  vessel. 
Several  months  after  Gray  had  been  on  the  stream  the 
English  nation,  as  represented  by  Captain  Cook's  lieu 
tenant,  ascended  the  stream  for  over  a  hundred  miles, 
making  careful  record  of  his  trip.  The  three  great 
nations  Spain,  England,  and  the  United  States  had 
each  valid  claims.  Portugal,  Russia  and  France  were 

290 


FORT  VANCOUVER 


early  eliminated  from  the  struggle  for  possession  which 
was  thereupon  fought  determinedly  by  the  first  three 
countries. 

In  1819  by  the  Florida  treaty  with  Spain  that  coun 
try  ceded  to  the  United  States  all  of  her  claims  north  of 
the  42nd  degree  of  latitude  and  so,  here,  Spain  grace 
fully  stepped  out  of  the  ring. 

The  close  of  the  War  of  1812  with  Great  Britain 
saw  that  power  in  possession  of  the  disputed  country, 
but  the  Treaty  of  Ghent,  1815,  provided  that  each  na 
tion  should  restore  what  it  had  taken  from  the  other  by 
force.  Thereupon  the  United  States  resumed  posses 
sion  of  the  fort  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  which  it 
had  formerly  maintained.  In  1818  was  signed  the  Joint 
Occupation  Treaty  between  the  two  countries,  by  which 
it  was  provided  that  the  northwest  coast  of  America 
should  be  open  to  citizens  of  both  powers  for  the  period 
of  ten  years.  Finally,  in  1846,  was  signed  the  agree 
ment  between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States  by 
which  the  northern  boundary  of  the  Northwest  was 
fixed  at  the  line  of  49  degrees,  where  it  rests  to-day. 
The  United  States  received  about  750  miles  of  the  river 
and  England  about  650  miles.  While  there  was  much 
diplomatic  jockeying  and  juggling  and  while  the  two 
nations  came  periously  close  to  a  resort  to  arms,  the  ques 
tion,  on  the  whole,  was  settled  with  great  amicableness  and 
the  decision  once  arrived  at  was  accepted  with  entire 
good  nature  by  each  party  to  the  contract. 

291 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


Now  let  us  ask  why  was  it  that  the  Northwest  of 
those  days  was  considered  so  great  a  prize  that  six  of 
the  World  Powers  should  contend  for  its  possession? 
The  domain,  though  a  princely  one,  was  not  a  necessity 
to  a  young  nation — our  own — which  had  illimitable 
leagues  of  arable  soil  still  untilled.  It  was  remote  from 
all  of  the  powers  of  Europe.  The  answer  to  our  ques 
tion  is  to  be  found  in  the  one  word,  furs.  The  North 
west  was  a  treasure  house  through  virtue  of  the  fur- 
bearing  animals  which  it  contained. 

As  early  as  1806  a  trading  station  was  established 
in  the  valley  of  the  Columbia  River  by  The  Northwest 
Fur  Company,  an  English  corporation.  In  1810  the 
Pacific  Fur  Company,  which  was  to  found  the  fortunes 
of  John  Jacob  Astor,  was  organized  by  that  gentleman 
in  New  York  and,  in  1811,  the  first  of  Astor's  ships 
arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  River  to  erect  the 
trading  post  of  Astoria,  whose  fortunes  have  been  so  en 
tertainingly  told  by  Washington  Irving  in  the  book  of 
that  name.  The  Hudson  Bay  Company  had  also  made 
entrance  to  this  rich  field. 

During  the  War  of  1812  the  Pacific  Fur  Company 
retired  from  its  positions  in  the  Columbia  valley  and  the 
Hudson  Bay  Company  absorbed  its  English  rival,  the 
Northwest  Fur  Company.  The  English  built  a  strong 
fort  at  Astoria  which  they  called  Fort  George.  But 
several  years  after  the  conclusion  of  the  war  between 
England  and  America,  the  Pacific  Fur  Company  re- 

292 


FORT  VANCOUVER 


sumed  possession  of  its  posts  in  the  Columbia,  with  the 
backing  of  the  United  States  government,  under  the 
authority  of  the  Treaty  of  Ghent  and  the  Hudson  Bay 
Company,  and  though  events  proved  that  it  could  main 
tain  an  amicable  joint  household  with  Astor's  corpora 
tion  at  Astoria,  began  to  look  about  for  a  site  for  head 
quarters  of  its  own.  Since  the  Columbia  River  at  that 
time  seemed  destined  to  become  the  dividing  line  be 
tween  English  and  American  possessions,  a  site  was 
chosen  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  about  120  miles 
above  its  mouth.  Here  a  strong  post  was  established 
in  1825  and  named  Vancouver,  in  honor  of  the  British 
mariner.  The  site  was  not  deemed  as  suitable  for  the 
purposes  of  a  fort  as  a  situation  a  short  distance  away, 
so  a  second  Fort  Vancouver  was  built  on  the  last  chosen 
spot.  This  is  the  Fort  Vancouver  of  the  present  day, 
and  the  site  of  the  city  of  Vancouver,  Washington. 

The  new  post  was  made  the  Pacific  head-quarters 
for  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  and  became  a  great  mart 
of  trade  from  California  to  Alaska  and  for  innumerable 
little  stations  in  the  Rocky  mountains  and  the  hinter 
land  thereof.  The  fort,  itself,  was  an  imposing  structure 
with  a  picket  wall  twenty  feet  high,  buttressed  with 
massive  timbers  inside.  It  enclosed  a  parallelogram  five 
hundred  feet  by  seven  hundred  feet  and  contained  forty 
buildings,  including  a  governor's  residence  of  generous 
proportions.  The  lands  outside  of  the  fort  proper  were 
cultivated  and  were  exceedingly  productive.  The  em- 

293 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


ployees  of  the  company  were  comfortably  housed  and 
formed  a  happy  community,  and  to  the  point  came  red 
men  in  various  garbs,  hunters,  trappers  and  woodsmen, 
a  picturesque  throng  in  craft  of  all  description. 

This  is  a  sketch  of  the  post  in  1846,  the  year  in  which, 
through  the  treaty  between  England  and  America,  it 
became  a  possession  of  the  United  States.  In  1849  a 
company  of  United  States  Artillery,  under  Captain  J. 
H.  Hathaway,  took  possession  of  the  place  in  the  name 
of  the  republic  and  the  stars  and  stripes  waved  where 
the  lion  of  St.  George  had  held  the  breeze.  It  is  an  in 
teresting  commentary  of  the  times  to  remember  that  to 
reach  their  destination  Captain  Hathaway  and  his  sol 
diers  were  obliged  to  sail  around  Cape  Horn  in  a  sailing 
vessel,  the  voyage  consuming  many  months.  In  the 
Spring  of  1850  a  company  of  mounted  riflers  arrived  at 
the  post  overland  from  Fort  Leavenworth. 

An  additional  interest  is  given  Fort  Vancouver  by 
knowing  that  at  various  periods  prior  to  the  Civil  War 
Grant,  Sheridan,  McClellan,  Hooker,  and  other  of  the 
famous  United  States  leaders  of  the  Civil  War  were 
stationed  here.  It  was  in  a  campaign  against  the 
Indians  not  far  distant  from  Fort  Vancouver  that  Gen 
eral  Sheridan  fought  his  first  battle. 


FORT  YUMA 

AT  HEAD  OF  NAVIGATION,  COLORADO  RIVER— CALIFORNIA 


HE  comedian  of  Uncle  Sam's 
military  posts  is  old  Fort  Yuma 
on  the  Colorado  River  at  the 
southwestern  extremity  of  Cali 
fornia.  To  mention  the  name  in 
a  barrack-room  where  there  are 
seasoned  soldiers  is  to  call  forth 
a  reminiscent  smile  and  the  old  story  of  the  hen  that 
laid  hard-boiled  eggs.  These  and  that  other  one  of  the 
officers,  who  when  they  die  at  Fort  Yuma  and  appear 
before  his  Satanic  Majesty  (by  some  strange  miscar 
riage  of  justice)  shiver  with  cold  and  send  back  to  the 
fort  for  their  blankets. 

Other  posts  in  Uncle  Sam's  itinerary  are  hot,  but 
Fort  Yuma  spends  all  of  its  time  in  heating  up  with  a 
passion  for  its  work  and  an  unrelenting  attention  to 
detail  that  have  become  legendary.  During  the  months 
of  April,  May,  and  June  no  rainfall  comes,  and  the 
average  temperature  is  105°  in  the  shade.  Of  course 
the  post  does  much  better  on  some  occasions,  and  at 
other  times  it  falls  below  this  batting  average. 

The  most  active  days  of  Fort  Yuma  as  a  military 
post  were  found  just  before  and  for  a  few  years  subse 
quent  to  the  Civil  War,  though  that  great  conflict  had 
no  part  in  Yuma's  past.  During  the  days  that  Cali 
fornia  was  having  its  mind  made  up  for  it  to  become  a 

295 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


part  of  the  United  States,  and  during  the  days  in  which 
it  was  beginning  the  great  experiment  indicated,  Yuma 
was  of  much  importance  as  a  base  for  United  States 
troops.  In  addition  to  this  it  exercised  and  has  always 
exercised  a  restraining  influence  upon  those  restless 
spirits  of  the  desert,  the  Apache  Indians.  Being  situ 
ated  on  the  border  between  the  United  States  and 
Mexico,  it  has  some  little  to  do  in  seeing  that  the  cus 
toms  regulations  of  this  country  are  preserved.  And  it 
has  always  secured  importance  from  being  one  of  the 
stations  on  the  old  Santa  Fe  trail. 

After  receiving  the  Gila  at  a  point  100  miles  from 
its  mouth,  the  Colorado  River  turns  suddenly  westward 
and  forces  its  way  through  a  rocky  defile,  70  feet  high 
and  850  yards  long  and  200  yards  wide,  thus  cutting 
off  a  narrow  rocky  bluff  and  leaving  it  as  an  isolated 
eminence  on  the  California  side  of  the  river.  Here 
stands  Fort  Yuma,  grey  and  sombre  above  the  green 
bottom  lands  of  the  river,  which  are  covered  with  a  dense 
growth  of  cottonwood  and  mesquite.  Chains  of  low 
serrated  hills  and  mountains  limit  the  view  on  nearly 
every  side — all  bare  and  grey  save  when  painted  by  the 
sun  with  delicate  hues  of  blue  and  purple. 

Before  reaching  the  fort  the  traveller  passes  through 
a  long  road  shaded  by  young  cottonwoods  and  mesquite 
interspersed  with  an  impenetrable  growth  of  arrow-bush 
and  cane.  Then  he  comes  to  a  bend  of  the  river  where 
the  water  loses  the  ruddy  tint  which  gives  it  its  musical 

296 


FORT  YUMA 


name  of  "  Colorado  "  and,  finally,  he  brings  up  at  the 
fortification,  which  in  the  distance  appeared  heavy  and 
forbidding  but  which  near  at  hand  resolves  itself  into  a 
collection  of  substantial  adobe  houses  inclosed  by  deep 
verandas  with  Venetian  blinds  which  shut  out  every 
direct  ray  of  sunlight. 

All  the  buildings  at  the  post  are  of  sun-dried  brick 
and  neatly  plastered  within  and  without.  They  are  one 
story  in  height,  have  large  rooms  with  lofty  ceilings 
and  facilities  for  the  freest  ventilation.  The  roof  and 
walls  are  double,  inclosing  an  air  chamber.  Each  house 
is  surrounded  by  a  veranda  and  adjacent  houses  have 
their  verandas  in  communication,  so  that  the  occupants 
may  pass  from  one  to  another  without  exposing  them 
selves  to  the  heat  of  the  sun. 

What  entitles  the  post  to  the  name  of  fort  are  certain 
unpretentious  intrenchments  scattered  along  the  slopes 
of  the  bluff  overlooking  the  river  and  commanding  the 
bottom  lands  adjacent.  They  are  not  visible  from  the 
river  and  the  visitor  is  not  aware  of  their  existence  until 
he  steps  to  the  edge  of  the  bluff  and  looks  down  upon 
them.  The  parade  is  a  stony  lawn.  Not  a  blade  of 
grass  is  to  be  seen  and  everything  is  of  that  ashy  light- 
grey  color  so  trying  to  the  eyes.  It  is  a  relief  to  gaze 
out  upon  the  green  bottom  lands  through  which  one 
passed  before  ascending  to  the  top  of  the  eminence 
where  stands  the  fort. 

Being  so  excessively  dry  the  air  at  this  post  plays 

297 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


strange  pranks  with  articles  made  for  use  in  less  arid 
climates,  as  many  a  young  officer's  wife  has  found  to 
her  cost  when  bringing  trunks  and  other  household  para 
phernalia  to  her  new  home.  Furniture  put  together  in 
the  North  and  brought  here  falls  to  pieces;  travelling 
chests  gape  at  their  seams,  and  a  sole-leather  trunk  con 
tracts  so  much  that  the  tray  must  be  pried  out  by  force. 

Ink  dries  so  rapidly  upon  the  pen  that  it  requires 
washing  off  every  few  minutes  and  a  No.  2  pencil  leaves 
no  more  trace  upon  a  piece  of  paper  than  a  piece  of 
anthracite  coal  would  leave.  To  use  a  pencil  it  is  neces 
sary  to  have  it  kept  immersed  in  water  before  calling 
upon  it  for  service.  Newspapers  require  to  be  unfolded 
with  care,  for  if  handled  roughly  they  crumble.  Boxes 
of  soap  that  weigh  twelve  pounds  when  shipped  to  Fort 
Yuma  weigh  only  ten  pounds  after  having  been  there 
for  several  weeks.  Hams  lose  12  per  cent,  in  weight 
and  rice  2  per  cent.  Eggs  lose  their  watery  contents 
by  evaporation  and  become  thick  and  tough.  The  effort 
to  cool  one's  self  with  an  ordinary  fan  is  vain,  because 
the  surrounding  atmosphere  is  of  higher  temperature 
than  the  body.  The  earth  under  foot  is  dry  and  powdery 
and  hot  as  flour  just  ground,  while  the  rocks  are  so 
hot  that  the  hands  cannot  be  borne  upon  them. 

*  The  story  of  the  dog  that  ran  across  the  parade 
at  mid-day  on  three  legs  barking  at  every  step  may  be 
correct,"  writes  an  officer  who  was  stationed  there, 
"  though  I  have  never  seen  it  tried." 


VALLEY  FORGE-YORKTOWN— 
VICKSBURG— LOOKOUT  MOUNTAIN 
—GETTYSBURG— THE  "CRATER" 


p  N  the  nature  of  the  case  field  forti 
fications  are  temporary  erections, 
earthworks  thrown  up  for  an  im 
mediate  emergency;  but,  occasion 
ally  some  bright  deed  or  some 
*  momentous  consequence  gives  these 
defences  a  fame  more  enduring 
than  walls  of  stone  planned  with  deliberation  and  exe 
cuted  with  leisured  care. 

Who  has  not  heard  of  Valley  Forge  and  the  heroic 
winter  of  1777-1778  which  Washington  spent  there 
with  his  meagrely  clad  men?  Valley  Forge  is  now  a 
public  reservation  about  twelve  miles  north  of  Phila 
delphia,  on  the  Schuylkill  River.  Excursion  trains 
run  out  from  that 'city  to  the  park,  so  it  is  easy  of 
access.  The  grounds  cover  hundreds  of  acres,  but  the 
principal  points  are  plainly  marked  and  may  be  quickly 
reached. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  souvenirs  of  Washing 
ton's  immortal  encampment  at  Valley  Forge  is  the  little 
stone  house  which  the  great  commander  used  as  his 
headquarters.  An  unpretentious,  substantial  structure 
of  the  typical  style  of  building  of  the  days  in  which  it 
was  constructed,  it  is  in  excellent  preservation,  strong 

299 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


and  sturdy  as  on  the  day  of  its  erection.  The  building 
contains  numerous  Washington  relics  and  curios  col 
lected  by  the  State  authorities  or  presented  to  the  park 
by  men  and  women  of  various  parts  of  the  nation. 

One  of  the  most  conspicuous  objects  of  the  reserva 
tion  is  the  Memorial  Arch  erected  by  the  United  States 
government  to  the  memory  of  the  men  and  officers  who 
shared  the  privations  of  that  terrible  winter  at  this  spot. 
It  is  of  Roman  character  and  stands  on  a  commanding 
eminence  in  the  central  part  of  the  grounds.  Near  at 
hand  is  planned  the  Washington  Memorial  Chapel, 
which  the  Future  may  complete,  or  leave  unbuilt,  as  it 
sees  fit. 

Fort  Washington,  a  small  redoubt  or  earth,  is  not 
far  from  the  Arch  and  has  been  carefully  preserved 
against  the  encroachments  of  Time.  The  lines  of  the 
earthworks  may  also  be  made  out. 

A  historic  site  is  Yorktown,  Virginia,  the  sleepy 
little  village  on  the  peninsula  between  the  James  and 
York  rivers  Cornwallis  surrendered  to  Washington  and 
the  French  allies  in  1781,  thus  making  sure  of  American 
Independence,  and  where  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  en 
camped  under  McClellan  in  1862,  throwing  up  massive 
earthworks.  The  traces  of  both  Cornwallis'  and  McClel- 
lan's  encampments  are  easily  to  be  made  out  to-day. 

The  American  and  French  forces  marched  from 
Williamsburg,  September  28,  1781,  driving  in  the 

300 


National  Memorial  Arch 


Washington's  Headquarters 
SCENES  AT  VALLEY  FORGE 


VICKSBURG 


British  outposts  at  Yorktown  as  they  approached  and 
taking  possession  of  the  abandoned  outworks.  Form 
ing  a  semicircular  line  about  two  miles  from  the  British 
intrenchments  they  completely  invested  the  enemy,  the 
York  River  enclosing  his  forces  to  the  northeast.  Octo 
ber  17,  Cornwallis  offered  to  discuss  terms  of  surrender. 

The  beginning  of  the  year  1863 — to  make  a  jump 
from  the  Revolution  to  the  Civil  War — saw  the  turning 
of  the  tide  for  the  United  States,  and  it  was  in  this 
year  that  the  decisive  battles  of  Vicksburg,  Gettysburg 
and  Chattanooga  were  fought.  The  battle-grounds  of 
each  of  these  engagements  have  been  created  national 
parks  and  are  maintained  in  such  a  fashion  that  the 
visitor  may  follow  the  movements  of  the  troops  in  those 
great  clashes. 

After  the  capture  of  the  posts  north  of  Vicksburg, 
on  the  Mississippi,  and  the  opening  of  the  mouth  of  the 
river  by  Farragufs  taking  of  New  Orleans  in  1862, 
Vicksburg  was  the  only  remaining  defence  of  the  Con 
federacy  on  the  Mississpipi,  and  the  sole  remaining  link 
between  the  Confederacy's  east  and  west  portions.  The 
principal  works  of  the  city  were  on  a  commanding  emi 
nence,  giving  a  clear  sweep  of  the  river  and  the  sur 
rounding  country,  which  was  swampy  and  almost  im 
passable.  They  were  competently  manned,  capably  offi 
cered  and  well  supplied. 

The  place,  altogether,  was  deemed  almost  impreg- 

301 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


nable.  To  follow  out  all  of  the  steps  by  which  its  re 
duction  was  brought  about  is  not  the  province  of  this 
chapter.  The  United  States  troops  under  the  compara 
tively  unknown  commander,  U.  S.  Grant,  began  to 
operate  at  the  end  of  January,  1863,  and  on  July  4 
concluded  their  task  in  the  unconditional  surrender  of 
the  main  fortification  of  the  Confederates.  The  sur 
render  of  Vicksburg  came  one  day  after  the  conclusion 
of  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  which  occupied  the  first 
three  days  of  July. 

The  reservation  of  the  Vicksburg  National  Park 
contains  1,255.07  acres  and  was  acquired  pursuant  to  an 
Act  of  Congress  approved  February  21,  1899. 

The  grounds  of  the  Gettysburg  National  Park, 
Adams  County,  Pennsylvania,  comprise  2,054  acres 
and  their  acquisition  was  commenced  in  1873.  The 
scenes  of  the  principal  movements  of  the  battle  have 
been  marked  with  suitable  monuments.  The  battle  of 
Gettysburg  proved  conclusively  that  the  South  could 
not  invade  the  North.  It  was  the  last  gallant  attempt 
of  a  completely  invested  country  to  strike  a  fatal  blow 
before  the  strangle-hold  of  its  enemy  should  bring  the 
end. 

The  largest  of  the  national  military  parks  is  Chicka- 
mauga  and  Chattanooga  National  Park,  which  comprises 
5,688  acres  in  the  State  of  Georgia,  in  addition  to  nearly 
150  acres  in  the  State  of  Tennessee,  the  park  being 

302 


The  Slaughter  Hollow 


The  Entrance  to  the  Tunnel 
TWO  VIEWS  TO-DAY  OF  THE  "CRATER,"  PETERSBURG,  VA. 


THE  "CRATER" 


situated  on  the  line  between  the  States.  In  Tennessee 
is  located  Lookout  Mountain.  The  acquisition  of  this 
reservation  began  under  the  provisions  of  an  Act  of 
Congress  approved  August  19,  1890. 

On  the  outskirts  of  Petersburg,  Virginia,  the  re 
mains  of  Forts  Haskell  and  Steadman,  the  scene  of  the 
"  Crater "  episode,  and  part  of  the  defences  of  the 
capital  of  the  Confederacy  which  fell  before  Grant  in 
1865,  have  been  preserved  as  a  private  enterprise.  For 
a  small  consideration  the  "  Crater  "  and  the  earthworks 
will  be  shown  to  the  visitor.  The  Federal  forces  op 
posed  to  Fort  Steadman — at  the  suggestion  of  a  miner 
from  Chambersburg,  Pa.,  it  is  said — constructed  a  long 
tunnel  from  their  lines  to  beneath  the  Confederate 
stronghold.  An  enormous  quantity  of  powder  was 
here,  and  when  it  was  set  off  a  body  of  soldiers  was  to 
charge  through  the  breach  and  take  the  Confederate 
positions. 

The  powder  was  exploded  and  the  plan  was  success 
ful  in  so  far  that  it  blew  several  hundred  men  into 
eternity,  but  when  the  attacking  column  reached  the 
cavity  in  the  ground  its  men  became  confused,  giving 
the  Confederates  time  to  reform  and  to  pour  in  a  ter 
rible  fire  upon  the  Union  men  concentrated  in  the  broken 
ground  below.  The  result  was  terrible  carnage  of 
United  States  troops.  The  "  Crater  "  had  become  a 
death  trap.  Nearly  three  thousand  men  were  killed  in 

303 


QUAINT  AND  HISTORIC  FORTS 


it  in  thirty  minutes,  the  most  disastrous  loss  the  Federal 
forces  suffered  in  so  short  a  time  during  the  war. 

The  "  Crater  "  to-day  is  a  peaceful  spot  glorified  by 
tall  trees  which  keep  the  scene  in  continual  gloom.  The 
depression  in  the  ground  is  ten  feet  or  more  in  depth 
and  about  two  hundred  feet  in  diameter.  A  short  walk 
brings  one  to  the  entrance  to  the  tunnel  where  the  lines 
of  the  United  States  were  stretched. 


INDEX 


Adams,  Fort,  Newport,  R.  I., 


Alamo,  Texas,  279-284 
Allen,  Ethan,  63,  70 
Amsterdam,  Fort,  37 
Andre,  Major,  156 
Andros,  Edmund,  Royal  Gov 

ernor  of  Mass.,  29,  107 
Annapolis  Royal,  2,  84-92 
Arnold,   Benedict,   64,   82;   his 

treason,  154  et  seq.;  169,  171, 

238 
Atares  Castle,  Havana,  206 

Baltimore,  Fort  at,  180-189 
Battery,  The,  New  York  City, 

46 

Belfast,  Me.,  99 
Belle  Rive,  Louis  St.  Ange  de, 

Commanding    Chartres,    12; 

stationed   at   Vincennes,    14; 

surrenders  Chartres  to  Eng 

lish,  14 

Boston,  Fort  at,  25-35 
Boston  Tea  Party,  31 
Bourbon,  Fort,  on  the  Missis 

sippi,  263 
Bowie,  James,  inventor  of  Bowie 

knife,  281 
Braddock,   18;  his  march  and 

death,  19,  53,  127 
Bradford,  Wm.,  106 
Brownsville,  Pa.,  21 
Burgoyne,  General,  64 
Burnet,  Governor  of  New  York, 

122,  123,  124 

Cadillac,  La  Moote,  132 

Caen,  Emery  de,  75 

Canseau,  Nova  Scotia,  expedi 

tion  against,  2;  fleet  arrives 

at,  7 


Castine,  Baron  Vincent  de,  103, 
104 

Castle  Garden,  New  York  City , 
46 

Castle  St.  Louis,  Quebec,  72,  77, 
82 

Castle  William,  Boston,  25,  35 

Castle  Williams,  New  York 
Harbor,  46 

Champlain,  Memorial  Light 
House,  67 

Champlain,  Samuel,  49,  50,  51, 
52,  60,  72,  73;  dies  at  Quebec, 
76 

Charles,  Fort,  Me.,  107 

Charleston,  South  Carolina, 
Fort  at,  241-250 

Chartres,  Fort,  site  selected,  11; 
disastrous  expedition  leaves, 
12;  second  fort  built,  12;  sur 
renders  to  English,  14 

Chebucto  Bay,  93,  94,  97 

Chicago,  Illinois,  21;  Historical 
Society,  23 

Cincinnati,  Ohio,  24 

Citadel  of  Halifax,  93-97 

Citadel  of  Quebec,  72-83 

Clark,  Fort,  Illinois,  24 

Clark,  George  Rogers,  23,  24, 
144,  145 

Clinton,  Fort,  New  York  City, 
46 

Clinton,  Fort,  New  York,  148, 
149 

Columbus,  Fort,  New  York, 
36-48 

Constitution,  Fort,  New  Hamp 
shire,  161-166 

Constitution,  Fort,  New  York, 
150 


305 


INDEX 


Cornbury,    Governor    of    New 

Amsterdam,  41 
Covington,  Fort,  187 
"Crater,"  The,  near  Petersburg, 

Virginia,  303 
Crevecoeur,  Fort,  15 
Crockett,  Davy,  falls  at  Alamo, 

283 
Crown  Point,  53,  66-71 

Damariscotta,  3 

Davenport,  Captain  Richard,  28 

Davis,  Jeff,  cell  at  Fort  Monroe, 

235 

Dearborn,  Fort,  21,  22,  23 
Dearborn,  General,  Secretary  of 

War,  35 

Defiance,  Mount,  64 
De  Soto,  142,  201 
Diamond,  Fort,  45 
Dieskau,  54,  55,  56,  69 
Donop,  Count,  177 
Dorchester,  Mass.,  32 
Douglas,  Fort,  Utah,  289  et  seq. 
Drake,    Sir    Francis,    menaces 

Havana,  203 
Duchambon,  successor  to  Du- 

quesnel,  8 

Dufferin  Terrace,  Quebec,  72,  83 
Dummer,  William,  Governor  of 

Mass.,  29 
Dumplings,  Fort,  near  Newport, 

R.  L,  231 
Duquesne,    Fort,    erected,    18; 

falls  to  England,  19 
Duquesne,  Governor  General  of 

Canada,  18 
Duquesnel,     Commandant     of 

Louisburg,  2 


Edward,  Fort,  New  York,  57 
Erie,  Pa.,  20 


Falls  of  Minnehaha,  268 
Federal   Hill   Fort,   Baltimore, 

188,  189 
Fetterman,    Wyoming,    288   et 

CAf| 

Franklin,  Pa.,  21 
Frederick,  Fort,  Maine,  105-112 
Frenchman's  Bay,  Me.,  88 
Frontenac,  in  command  at  Que 
bec,  77,  78,  79,  110 
Frontenac,     Fort      (Kingston, 
Canada),  114,  127 

Gage,  Fort,  23,  24 

George,  Fort,  at  mouth  of  Col 
umbia  River,  Ore.,  292 

George,  Fort,  Me.,  98-104 

George,  Fort,  New  York  City, 
37 

Gettysburg,  302 

Governor's  Island,  New  York 
Harbor,  36,  37,  41,  42,  43,  44- 
48 

Griswold,  Fort,  Conn.,  167-172 

Hamilton,  Fort,  New  York,  45 
Havana,  Cuba,  Forts  at,  201- 

206 

Heald,  Captain  Nathan,  22,  23 
Heights^of  Quebec,  72-83 
Hennepin,  Friar  Louis,  and  his 

map,  114 

Holmes,  Major,  140 
Holmes,  Fort,  Michigan,  131- 

140 
Howe,  Sir  William,  59 

Independence,    Fort,     Boston, 

25-35,  148 
Irving,  Washington,  36 

Jackson,  Fort,  Louisiana,  263- 
267 


306 


INDEX 


Jay,  Fort,  New  York,  36-48 
Johnson,  William,  of  New  York, 
53,  54,  55,  56,  69,  104,  117, 
119 

Johnston,  General  Albert  Sid 
ney,  284 

Kaskaskia,  Illinois,  143 
Keogh,  Fort,  Montana,  289 
Key,  Francis  Scott,  180,  187 
Kirke,  Admiral  Sir  David,  at 
tacks  Quebec,  74 
Kosciuszko,  151 

Lafayette,  Fort,  45 

La  Fuerza,  Cuba,  201-206 

Laramie,  Fort,  Wyoming,  273- 
278 

Larrabee,  Captain  Lieutenant 
John,  30 

La  Salle,  Robert  Cavelier,  114, 
131 

Laurel  Moat,  Havana,  206 

Leavenworth,  Fort,  Kansas,  287 
et  seq. 

Le  Boeuf,  Fort,  20,  21 

Lee,  Robert  E.,  181;  resigns 
from  U.  S.  Army,  284 

Lescarbot,  Marc,  86 

Louisburg,  Nova  Scotia,  im 
portance  of,  1;  incentives  to 
attack,  2;  preparations 
against,  4;  a  novel  plan,  5; 
expedition  sails,  6;  strongest 
outlying  work,  8;  siege  pro 
gresses,  10;  restored  to  France, 
10 

Louis  de  la  Mobile,  Fort,  Ala 
bama,  257 

McHenry,  Fort,  Maryland,  180- 

189 
McHenry,  James,  Secretary  of 

War,  184 


McKenzie,  Sir  William's  ex 
periment  in  Nova  Scotia,  88, 
89 

M'Lean,  Colonel  Francis,  100 
Mackinac    Island,    State    park 

commission,  140 
Marion,  Fort,  Florida,  190-200 
Marion,  General  Francis,  199 
Marquette,  Father,  131-132 
Massac,  Fort,  Illinois,  21,  141- 

146 

Matanzas  Inlet,  Florida,  192 
Menendez,  Juan,  de  Aviles,  193 
Mercer,  Fort,  New  Jersey,  175 
Mermet,  Father,  142,  143 
Metropolis,  Illinois,  141 
Michillimackinac,        Michigan, 

131-140 

Mifflin,  Fort,  Pa.,  173-179 
Monitor    and    Merrimac,    seen 

from  Fort  Monroe,  240 
Monroe,  Fort,  Virginia,  232-240 
Montcalm,  Marquis  de,  57,  59, 

60,  62,  69,  127,  128 
Montgomery,    Fort,    Alabama, 

212 
Montgomery,  Fort,  New  York, 

148,  149 

Montgomery,  Richard,  82,  83 
Montmagny,  Governor  of  Can 
ada,  76 

Monts,  Sieur  de,  discovers  An 
napolis  basin,  82 
Morgan,   Fort,   Alabama,   257, 

262 

Morro  Castle,  Cuba,  201-206 
Moultrie,  Fort,  South  Carolina, 
200,  241-250 

New    London,    Conn.,    167    et 

seq. 
Newport,  R.  I.,  Forts  at,  222- 

231 


307 


INDEX 


Newport  Artillery  Co.,  222 
Niagara,  Fort,  New  York,  113- 

121 
Nonsense,  Fort,  170 

Ontario,  Fort,  New  York,  122- 

130 

Ordre  de  la  Bon  Temps,  86 
Osceola,    Monument    at    Fort 

Moultrie,  244 
Oswego,  New  York,  122,  130 

Pell,  S.  H.  P.,  of  New  York, 

restores  Ticonderoga,  65 
Pell,  William  F.,  of  New  York, 

acquires  Ticonderoga,  65 
Pemaquid,  Maine,  105,  106,  111 
Pensacola,    Florida,     Fort    at, 

207-214 
Pentagoet,  or  Castine,  103,  105, 

107 

Peoria,  Illinois,  24 
Pepperell,  William,  of  Kittery, 
Maine,  chosen    to    head   ex 
pedition,  5;  home  still  stand 
ing,  5,  30,  125 

Phil  Kearney,  Fort,  285  et  seq. 
Philadelphia,  Fort  at,  173-179 
Phips,  Sir  William,  29,  78,  79, 

90,  108,  109 

Pickens,  Fort,  Florida,  213 
Pike,  Lieutenant  C.  M.,  secures 
Fort  Snelling  reservation,  269 
Pipon,  Captain  John,  29 
Pitt,     Fort,     Block-house     at 

Pittsburgh,  17 
Plains  of  Abraham,  81 
Port  Henry,  New  York,  68 
Portsmouth,    New   Hampshire, 

Fort  at,  161-166 
Potrincourt,  Baron,  founds  An 
napolis  Royal,  84,  85,  87 


Presidio  of  San  Francisco,  Cal.. 

215-221 

Presque  Isle,  a  memorial  of,  20 
Principe  Castle,  Havana,  206 
Pulaski,  Fort,  Georgia,  251-256 
Putnam,  Fort,  152 
Putnam.    General    Israel,    148, 

151 

Quebec,    49,    51,    62;    Historic 
Forts  at,  72-83 

Redstone  Old  Fort,  21 
Renault,  Phillippe  Francois  de, 

introduces   negro   slavery   to 

Illinois,  11 
Revere,    Lieutenant     Colonel 

Paul,  33,  100,  163 
Ribaut,  Jean,  192 
Richelieu   Cardinal,  73 
Robinson,  Col.  Beverly,  156 
Roxbury,  Mass.,  32 

St.  Augustine,  Florida,  Fort  at, 

190-200 

St.  Clair,  General  Arthur,  64 
St.   Denis,  Juchereau  de,   141, 

142,  143 
St.  Frederic,  Fort,  New  York, 

67,  68,  69,  70 
St.  Louis,  Fort,  14 
St.  Paul,  Minn.,  foundation,  272 
St.  Philip,  Fort,  Louisana,  263- 

267 
Sam  Houston,  Fort,  Texas,  279- 

284 

Samoset    sells  land    at  Pema 
quid,  106 
San  Antonio,  Texas,  Forts  at, 

284-289 
San  Carlos,  Fort,  Florida,  207- 

214 
Sandusky,  Ohio,  21 


308 


INDEX 


San  Francisco,  Cal.,  Presidio  at, 
215-221 

San  Marco,  Fort,  197,  198 

Scott,  Fort  Winfield,  San  Fran 
cisco,  220 

Screven,  Fort,  Georgia,  254 

Shippen,  Margaret,  157-158 

Shirley,  William  Governor  of 
Mass.,  organizes  expedition 
against  Louisburg,  3;  his  list 
of  instructions,  6;  53,  116,  125 

Smith,  Capt.  John,  sees  Hamp 
ton  Roads,  236 

Snelling,  Fort,  Minn.,  268-272 

Stanwix,  Fort,  129 

Star  Spangled  Banner,  188 

Starved  Rock,  111.,  14 

Stony  Point,  New  York,  158- 
160 

Sumter,  Fort,  South  Carolina, 
241-250 

Ticonderoga,  New  York,  49-65, 

147 

Tracy,  Uriah,  137 
Travis    Col.  William  B.,  of  the 

Alamo,  280 

Trumbull,  Fort,  Conn.",  167-172 
Turnbull,  Col.  John,  33 

Valesca,  Luis  de,  his  settlement 

at  Pensacola  Bay,  207 
Valley  Forge,  179 
Vancouver,   Fort,  Washington, 

290-294 
Van  Twiller,  Wouter,  or  Walter, 

Governor  of  New  Amsterdam, 

37,38 

Vauban,  1,  56,  79 
Vaudreuil,  last  Governor  of  New 

France,  81 


Vaughan,  William,  of  Damaris- 
cotta,  suggests  attack  on 
Louisburg,  2;  his  career,  3; 
captures  grand  battery,  8,  9 

Venango,  21 

Vicksburg,  Miss.,  301 

Vincennes,  Ind.,  12 

Wadsworth,  Peleg,  100,  102 
Walker,  Admiral  Sir  Hovenden, 

81 

Warren,  Fort,  35 
Washington,  Fort,  Valley  Forge, 

Pa.,  300 
Washington,   Fort,   Cincinnati, 

Ohio,  24 
Washington,  George,  18,  32,  33, 

129,  155,  157,  168,  176,  226, 

228 

Waterford,  Pa.,  20 
Wayne,  "Mad"  Anthony,  145, 

159 
Wentworth,  Sir  John,  Governor 

of  New  Hampshire,  162 
West  Point,  New  York,  147-160 
White  Hall,  New  York,  55 
Wilkinson,  James,  145 
William    Henry,    Fort,    Mass., 

109,  110 
William  and  Mary,  Fort,  New 

Hampshire,  161-166 
William  Henry,  Fort,  New  York, 

54,  56,  57,  58,  59,  119 
Winthrop,  Fort,  Boston,  26 
Winthrop,  Governor  of  Mass., 

27,  34 
Wolcott,  Fort,  Torpedo  Station, 

231 
Wolfe,  captures,  Quebec,  81 

Yorktown,  Va.,  64 

Yuma,  Fort,  Cal.,  295-298 


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